Three Months
by Lumberchuck
Summary: Jasper Whitlock has one goal. To get out of the small town of Forks,Washington and never come back. But when he begins to get caught up in a strange friendship with Alice Brandon,things get a little more complicated. And a little more interesting.
1. Last Warning

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.

**A/N: Hello! So, another Alice/Jasper story. I tried to write about other characters, I really did, but it just doesn't turn out well. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy reading this opening chapter!**

**Jasper P.O.V**

I pulled my pickup into the first empty parking space and leaned back on the seat, fumbling with the radio buttons until a fuzzy country station flooded through the speakers. I turned the knob left until it faded into a soft background hum as I hunted through the glove box for a pack of cigarettes.

My fingers froze as I remembered I was supposed to be trying to quit. I bit my lip, my fingers tapping the stiff plastic of the dashboard, before withdrawing them with a sigh.

I grabbed my books from the seat, slouching out of the tepid truck cab and into the cool spring air. I slowly made my way to the school dragging the toes of my boots on the gravel. The warning bell dinged as I strode into English class.

I dropped my books on the desk, settling in for a long hour of lectures and high school chatter.

I tried not to let the fact that no one even glanced at me bring me down any lower then I already was. I just need to keep reminding myself that I was almost out of this hell hole town.

Just three more months.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the desk as the teacher's voice began to buzz through the classroom.

It was almost soothing….

* * *

The next thing I was aware of was someone tapping me impatiently on the shoulder. I lifted my head and attempted to blink away the layer of grogginess as I turned toward the individual that had woken me.

"Hey there sleeping beauty." Mike smirked, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

I sent him a glare as I scooped up my books and dashed out of the classroom, partially aware that the bell for the next class had already rung. I loped down the deserted hallways filling my aggravated mind with a comforting mantra.

_Three more months. Three more months. Three more months. Three more months and I'll be out of the crappy little town of Forks, Washington._

It soothed my frayed nerves and washed away any lasting thoughts I had of turning on my heel to go back and give Mike something to cry about. _Sleeping Beauty. _Who the hell does he think he is? I ducked inconspicuously into History class, sliding into an empty back row seat.

"Thank you for finally joining us Mr. Whitlock." Mr. Green said absently as he wrote on the blackboard.

Well, I thought I'd been inconspicuous.

I had a hunch that damn man had eyes in the back of his head. Of course, seeing as he was one of the only middle age male teachers at this school who still had all of their original hair, I couldn't know for sure.

I sighed as I took out a sheet of paper, quickly scribbling down the notes. History was the only class I truly cared about. It was also the only class I did the homework for and paid attention in. I excelled at it with barely any effort.

"It's your lucky day Mr. Whitlock, we're starting the civil war unit." Mr. Green smiled, wiping his chalk dust covered hands on the front of his shirt. I smiled back. It was a genuine smile and felt pleasant on my lips unlike the fake smiles I'd been handing out freely over the last few years.

The civil war was my passion, my infatuation. I'd read all the books, seen all the movies, done hours of research and learned every possible chunk of information that was know to man. And I'd gladly do it again, just to refresh my memory. I settled back in my seat but instead of taking an accidental snooze, my mind whirled as I filed the dates and events in my mind.

Anything to pass the next three months.

* * *

The lunch room chatter blasted through my eardrums as I walked into the crowded cafeteria. The tacky health food posters that littered the wall and laid crumpled on the floor didn't help bring the lumps of salty foods being served at the counter to a standstill. I made my way over to the line, planning on buying the thing that looked most edible.

I glanced across the cafeteria just as a scene began to unfold. That bozo Mike was approaching a brunette girl sitting alone at one of the small round lunch tables. He murmured something to her with a cocky look and her face lit up with a warm red blush.

But her features were livid.

I could practically feel the waves of fury rolling off her. She barked something back at him before rising up and striding toward the door. He raced to catch up with her and grabbed her arm roughly, pulling her toward him.

I heard a low growl beside me. The next moment a small girl with long jet black hair tumbling down her back was blazing across the room, her tiny hands balled into tight fists.

Alice Brandon.

A irrational wave of panic bubbled in my chest and suddenly I was sprinting to catch up with her. She was so small, I couldn't let her get anywhere near Mike. The conversation came into focus as we approached.

"Where's your big strong boyfriend today, Bella?" Mike asked with a smirk. Bella pursed her lips.

"He's camping with his parents. What's it to you?" she snapped.

"I was thinking since he was out of town, maybe we could go over to my place tonight?" he purred.

I could almost hear Bella's teeth grinding together. Half of my mind was cooking up ways to hurt Mike and the other half was recognizing what a cliché high school fight this was. I usually tried to steer clear of crap like this.

Not today, I guess.

I decided to go with the direct approach. I shoved Mike into the closest table. He floundered around for a second before realizing who shoved him.

"Whitlock? Your coming out of your distant little bubble just to beat me up? What an honor." he jeered.

I raised a fist, making sure he knew what was coming. I didn't want an unfair fight. He laughed. I shot my fist out, feeling a bout of fulfillment wash through me as the crunch of my knuckles coming in contact with Mike's face filled the air. I saw thick red blood seep through the cracks of my fingers, the warm sensation of it finally making me realize what I had just done.

Shit.

* * *

"Have a seat Mr. Whitlock." the principal sighed, motioning lazily to a plastic chair on the opposite side of the desk. I sat down swiftly, the squeak of the chair's metal peg legs against the tiled floor sending a shiver down my spine. Mr. King sighed again, dragging his fingers down his weary face and resting his palm under his chin.

"Jasper, you do realize that last time was your final warning, correct?" he asked tiredly.

"Yes Sir." I murmured. He shook his head.

"First skipping class, then skipping detention, then a teacher finds you drinking alcoholic beverages in the back woods…and now a fist fight? I may have expected the first three from you Jasper, but I never thought you would be capable of this. You're always so calm and polite….what happened?" he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

I had no reply to that. I didn't even know yet myself.

"I've let you slide many times Jasper. I know you've had some rough times. That you're still having some rough times. And you know how close I was to your father. But I…. just can't excuse this."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the final verdict to come down on me. I prayed it would just be suspension and not expulsion. If I was expelled then the last four years would've been for absolutely nothing. They might as well be scum on my boot laces. If I was expelled then the promise I had been torturing myself for the last four years to keep would've been in vain. My stomach flipped at that thought.

"Jasper, I want you to take an art class." Mr. King stated, his voice dead serious. I laughed anyway.

"Are you….joking? An art class as a punishment?" I couldn't keep the disbelief out of my voice. He nodded.

"I think you need a way to…express yourself. You're obviously having problems in school. Your teachers have informed me you don't talk to anyone. You don't care about your grades or your work. You've stayed at a steady sixty five average all year, and that's only because of history." he lectured me.

I didn't feel the need to tell him it wasn't because of history that I had a sixty five. I made sure I did at least enough in every class so that I could graduate. That's all I need to do to be free of this town. And, more importantly, free of this promise. Mr. King sent me a scolding glare.

"You need to keep at least a ninety average in this art class or a much greater means of punishment will be issued. The class starts now, room 302. It's photography, the only class that had an opening." he clarified.

"That will be all, Mr. Whitlock." he finished with a soft smile, straightening a stack of papers on his cluttered desk. I nodded.

"Thank you Sir." I mumbled, bolting out of the small office. I didn't want his pity about my past. But, unfortunately for me, I needed it.

I walked down the once again deserted halls and into the small art building. I sent a bogus smile toward the instructor, a tall woman with short curly brown hair. She smiled back at me, motioning for me to come over.

"Hello Jasper, I'm Mrs. Wilson." she shook my hand delicately. "Since it's toward the end of the year, everyone else already has a lot of experience. We just started a new project. It's a partner project and you and your partner will share the work equally." she explained.

I had to repress a groan. Not only did I have to take this pathetic class, I had to work with someone too? This would not go well.

"I'm partnering you up with Alice Brandon." she continued, oblivious to the fact that I wanted to smash my head through a wall.

"For two reasons. One, she's an good photographer and more than capable of teaching you the basics. Second, she's the only one without a partner. She prefers it that way, but I'm sure she'll adjust easily. She's a sweet girl but very quiet. I already told her about the arrangement, so you can just head on over." she finished, turning back to a book she had opened on her desk.

I sighed, searching the room quickly with my eyes. I spotted Alice in the corner.

She was sitting at a small table, a look of absolute concentration on her face. She had both arms in a black canvas bag up to her elbows, the fabric of the bag pooling around her tiny arms. I chuckled when I realized she had to hold it up with rubber bands. I could see the shape of her hands through the fabric rapidly shuffling around. I walked up behind her until I was at the back of her chair.

"Hello." I mumbled awkwardly. She yelped, jumping about a foot out of her seat. She turned her torso so she could face me while keeping the black canvas bag on the table, her gray-blue eyes wide.

"You startled me?" she stated breathlessly, like she could hardly believe a thing like that could happen to her. Then her eyes flashed and became cold. She turned her back to me, continuing with whatever the hell she was doing in that bag.

"I could have stood up for my cousin just fine, thank you. I didn't need your help." she accused. Anger flashed through me, but it was dulled, like my body and heart didn't want me to be angry with this girl. I bit back the remark I was about to make about how she should be thanking me.

"Bella is you cousin?" I asked instead. She nodded, studiously ignoring me. I sighed.

"Uhhh…if we're going to be partners we can't hate each other, now can we?" I asked quietly. She turned to me, her lips pursed. Then her face softened and she sighed daintily.

"I guess not." she answered. "And…thank you. It's not that I didn't appreciate your help, it's just that….never mind." she cut off, shaking her head to shift a lock of dark hair that had fallen into her eyes. She only succeeded in helping another tress slip past her shoulders and into her deep blue eyes. They reminded me of glistening orbs, as cheesy as that sounds. She huffed under her breath.

"Do you want me to help you get the hair out of your eyes?" I asked artlessly, realizing she probably couldn't remove her hands from the black bag until she was done.

"No, I'll get it when I'm finished." she mumbled, the look of concentration back on her tiny features.

"What are you doing?" I asked quietly, slumping into the chair beside her.

"I'm putting the film in a canister. It can't be exposed to the light until it's developed." she explained easily, somehow managing to not make me feel like a moron.

"Oh." was my brilliant answer. Her lips twitched like she was holding back a smile.

"There, all finished." she informed me. Her nose scrunched up.

"Uhhh…would you mind helping me take these rubber bands off?" she asked meekly.

"No problem." I swiftly reached over and shimmied the bands down her thin arms, making sure not to come in contact with her skin. She seemed like she enjoyed her personal space. She pulled her hand out of the bag and flexed her fingers, furtively eyeing the wrinkled pattern the bag had pressed onto her forearms. She unzipped the canvas, pulling out a canister and a small film container.

"That's enough for today I guess. Tomorrow I'll show you how to develop the film, and then maybe we can go over to your house to start to figure out how we're going to organize this project?" she asked me, probably picking up on the fact that I wasn't much of a leader and didn't have many suggestions or ideas. I nodded, but then bit my lip.

"Ummm….wouldn't you rather work on the project at your house?" I asked quietly, trying to hold back the unease I had at the thought of her coming any where near my dysfunctional household.

She mirrored my anxious expression, biting her lip also.

"Uhhh….I don't know…" she stumbled, trying to bake up an excuse.

"Look, can we please just go to your house?" she asked quietly, looking ashamed of herself. The uncomfortable weight in my chest lifted as I realized no one would be home tomorrow. I smiled.

"Sure."

She grinned, her aura of happiness and sass bouncing back into place.

"Alright Jasper, I'll see ya tomorrow." she chirped, sending me a smile before gracefully leaving the classroom the exact moment the bell rang.

I shook my head. Her steps looked like dancing. A small voice in my mind was singing, sending some foreign emotions fluttering through my brain.

I shook my head to clear it. One conversation with a odd, yet peculiarly charming girl didn't change anything. It was true it was the first authentic conversation I'd had in a long time, but I convinced myself it wasn't anything special.

I'd be out of here in three months, with the memories of this part of my life behind me, blurred in a cloud of dust.

Soon Alice would just be faint memory.

I trudged out to my pickup through the light misty rain. I quickly rummaged through my brain before coming to the conclusion that today was Thursday. Four school days down, one to go. Not that the weekend was any better. I sighed, starting up the truck and pulling out of the lot.

**A/N: Whew, that's the longest chapter I've ever written and it's only the beginning. Please review if you get a chance and tell me your thoughts or criticism. I can handle it. I think. :)**


	2. Only a Flicker

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of its characters.**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**Friday**

The animated conversations mostly based around plans for the approaching weekend seemed to pulse through the photography classroom, having a life of their own. Spouts of laughter diffused through the area traveling from one group of friends to the next seamlessly.

I sat as far away as possible from the chatter, in the back of the small room, patiently waiting for Alice.

Or at least I should have been patient.

Instead my leg was frantically bouncing in anticipation for her arrival. I felt so out of place with all the joyful smiles and shouts surrounding me, I needed something to concentrate on.

I didn't have very long to wait, as I spotted her slipping gracefully into the classroom just as the late bell rung. She navigated easily through the clusters of students, her long black hair seeming to swallow up her face and torso. In what would have taken me five minutes full of frustration and mumbles of "sorry" and "excuse me" she was at my side in thirty seconds.

"Hi Jasper." she said with a quick grin.

"Hi Alice." I smiled back.

"Why isn't anyone working?" I asked curiously.

"Oh, today is sort of a "free day" because everyone else already finished the last project, so they're just brainstorming ideas for the new one. I was absent for a few days last week, so I'm a little behind. Which I guess is a good thing because I can teach you to develop and print with these." she finished, walking over to the shelf and grabbing her canister of film.

I nodded, a little dazed by how fast she spoke. All the words blurred together and yet I heard every syllable clear as a bell.

I followed her over to the sinks and watched carefully, noting and trying to file away every step she did. She poured in the developer stirring it every minute or so. Then she rinsed and poured in the fixer and then the neutralizer after that. She thoroughly explained each step to me, like she actually cared if I learned something or not.

I watched in awe as she handled the chemicals, leaving them in for the right amount of time. I'd never understood how much of a skill photography actually was. I was used to seeing folks with their digital cameras, one click of the button and the memory was captured forever in that little box.

But this wasn't some fool proof hobby I could pick up in ten minutes.

This was…delicate.

I looked with skepticism at my large clumsy hands, the palms coated with calluses and scrapes. Then I looked at Alice's smooth hands, her nimble fingers practicing a task she'd done many times over. How could I ever compare to that? How could I ever learn this delicate skill, keep a ninety average, when I was the farthest thing from delicate I could ever imagine?

"What's wrong?" Alice whispered. I hadn't noticed she'd stopped working and was staring at me with a concerned expression etched across her face. I quickly changed my pained expression into a neutral one.

"Nothing, Alice. Don't worry." I mumbled. She narrowed her eyes, but let it drop.

"Okay, I just need to rinse it now. Can you put the cap back on the developer?" she asked vaguely, turning on the faucet and wiping the counter with a rag.

"Sure." I grabbed the bottle and before I even realized what was happening, I accidentally squeezed it and a spray of liquid flew from the bottle splattering my jeans and t-shirt.

I gasped, turning to Alice with my eyes wide. She laughed, the sound ringing along like a melody.

"Stop laughing Alice! It's not funny! Am I going to turn into some kind of mutant now?" I asked anxiously, frantically trying to wipe the chemicals from my shirt. She started to laugh louder.

"You should have seen your face, Jasper." she giggled. I sent her a glare and she calmed down a little.

"It's fine, Jasper. Don't worry. You didn't get any in your eyes, right?" she asked. I shook my head.

"Then your fine. Just take a quick shower when you get home." she assured me.

My breathing slowed and I started to feel pretty stupid. I was sure she wouldn't have been laughing if I was in any kind of trouble. Alice dumped the water from the canister, gently prying off the top. She took out the wet negatives, letting them fall straight. Then she surveyed them quickly, a soft smile on her face. She hung them up to dry as the bell rang.

"Errr….do you want to take my truck back to the house?" I asked shyly. She nodded, a quick bob of her head.

"I suppose so. I don't have a car, I usually just take the bus." she murmured.

We started on our way to the parking lot. I held the door open for her and she gave me a bashful smile, although I could see the slight flames flickering behind her eyes. She wasn't used to being helped, apparently.

The wind was brutal outside, the violent gusts whipping short blonde locks of hair into my eyes. We climbed swiftly into the truck, the sudden absence of wind creating an eerie silence. The familiar rumble of the engine made me smile a little. I was very proud of my pickup and it was sort of nice to have someone else around to appreciate it.

The ride home was silent and calm. Alice looked out the window, her long black locks shielding her face from me. We pulled into the driveway, the familiar sight of my house coming into view. It didn't bring much comfort. I quickly surveyed the driveway, double checking that it was definitely deserted.

"Here we are." I stated the obvious, removing the car key and sticking it the pocket of my worn jeans. My house was a small one with faded blue siding and a slightly rotted porch.

"Watch the third step." I quietly warned Alice as she ascended the rickety stairs. As we entered the crowded living room a wave of embarrassment washed over me and for the first time ever I wished I had tidied up a bit before school. I casually kicked a huge wad of paper under the couch and out of sight.

"Do ya mind if I take a quick shower?" I asked Alice, still uneasy about the thought of chemicals on my arms and clothing.

"Not at all." she mumbled absently. I followed her line of sight to see what she was inspecting.

Of course she would go straight to the pictures. A line of photos in cracked frames were set up on a shelf. She walked slowly over, raising her hand and gently stroking one of the photos.

"Who is this?" she murmured. "She's beautiful."

I switched my gaze from Alice to the picture. My heart clenched.

"That's my sister." my voice was gruff and hard. The photo was of Rosalie and I a few years ago. We had our arms slung around each other loosely and were wearing goofy smiles for the camera.

"Oh. Is she in college?" Alice asked with faint curiosity tinting her mellow voice. Rose was actually the same age as me, we were twins, but I didn't want to get into that minefield with a girl I'd just formally met a yesterday. Although I felt strangely compelled to. I brushed it off.

"Something like that." I muttered, trying to choke back the memory. But as it usually goes with these kind of things, it came anyway.

*****Flashback*****

I was curled up in the attic preferring the musty smell and scraping sounds of mice to the roaring brawl going on downstairs.

The sound of my mother's high pitch shriek as Rose and my stepfather got to the peak of another one of their heated arguments filled the cramped space. I winced as I heard a dish break. There was a moment of unnatural silence before the screaming started up again, twice as loud.

I covered my ears, not understanding why Rose always had to snap back at one of my stepfather's nasty comments. She was tenacious and stubborn, but she used to stop when I begged her. It didn't even matter anymore. I would beg and plead with her, praying for just one night of tranquility. Or at least as close as it could get to tranquil around here.

It seemed like my head was in an infinite state of pounding, one headache leading into another with no break in between. I banged my head softly against the low wooden beam of the attic, trying to wash the sound away for just a moment.

I knew I should be down there.

I should be trying to break up the fight, or defending my sister, or something. And yet I was still here, my limbs feeling too heavy to lift.

Besides, I already knew how the scene was playing out. How it _always_ played out.

My mother would be off to the side screaming words no one would listen to with tears streaming down her face. My stepfather would be bright red with anger, shaking his fists and threatening Rose in countless ways.

And Rose, she would be pacing back and forth through the kitchen, swears and oaths flying through her clenched teeth. She would pause every few minutes and slam her fists down on the counter, making the weak frames buckle.

The only difference it would make if I was down there would be my mother's frail hands attempting to hold me back from the fight as I tried to shout words of reason at the pair. Then I would grab Rosalie's arm and try to drag her out the front door, which would result in me getting another elbow in the face and no doubt another bloody nose. She would snarl at me and shove me into the wall screaming for me to mind my own damn business. Then I would bellow at my stepfather, my mind so foggy I didn't have an inkling which words were shooting out of my mouth.

I shook my head, tracing random patterns on the dusty attic floor, repeating to myself that it had to end some time.

My stomach flipped as I heard an unfamiliar sound. The rev of a motorcycle pulling up the driveway.

I jolted from my cross-legged position on the floor, kicking open the hatch and dropping from the ceiling onto the balls of my feet without bothering to pull down the ladder. I took of through the hallway and straight out the front door, grabbing Rose's elbow just as she descended the porch step. She tore from my grip, striding halfway across the lawn.

"Rosalie!" I hollered. She froze, whipping around to confront me. Her face was a terrifying mix of excitement and anger.

"What?" she barked.

"Rose, what are you doin?" I panted, short of breath from my moment of panic.

"Leaving." she answered easily. I glanced over at the sleek black motorcycle idling quietly on the driveway. The driver was a huge man I automatically recognized as Rose's boyfriend Emmett.

"When are you comin back?" I asked quietly.

"Never, Jasper." she snarled. "I'm never coming back."

I suddenly felt the urge to throw up.

I just stared at her, at my sister, her long blonde hair disheveled from running her fingers through it in frustration, her tattered leather jacket she'd bought from a thrift store a few years ago, her blue eyes silently pleading for my understanding.

"You're leaving me here? Alone?" I asked, too shocked to make my voice either angry or hurt.

"I'm sorry Jasper." is all she said.

"Come on Rosie baby!" Emmett's loud voice boomed from the driveway as he revved the engine. She glanced back and forth between him and I before sighing.

"Look Jasper, I love you, okay? You're my brother. I'm going down to Texas to live with Uncle Henry. Me and Emmett are, that is. He'll take care of me Jasper. You need to believe that. And I need to get away from this shit." she growled. I felt my breathing speed up. My sister was leaving me. The only person I've ever truly known was leaving me.

"Shit Jasper calm down! I'm going to make you a promise. The day you graduate high school I'm coming back for you and we're going to ditch this hell hole for good. I would take you now, but your so adamant about keeping that stupid promise." she chuckled breathlessly.

I was still frozen as she swiftly stepped forward and wrapped me in a tight hug. The scent of motor oil burned my nose. I feebly wrapped my long arms around her and patted her back. She pulled away.

"I'll be back Jasper. Two years." she promised before sprinting off toward the driveway and hopping effortlessly onto the back of the bike. She wrapped her arms tightly around Emmett's sturdy waist and the motorcycle kicked up asphalt as they sped into the dark embrace of trees.

I stood frozen for another few minutes before reality slapped me across the face. Hard. I dropped to my knees, digging my fingernails into the loose dirt.

"Wait Rosalie!" I screamed. I felt the first tear stream down my face.

"I need you." I whispered.

******End Flashback********

I blinked, the image of my crappy living room coming back into focus.

Alice was looking at me strange. She tilted her head to the side, her long hair fanning out beside her.

"Jasper, you alright?" she questioned, the strange look still planted on her features. She knew something. I just nodded.

"Uhh, I'm going to go hop in the shower now." I muttered, shuffling out of the room and into the dimly lit hallway.

I switched on the bathroom lights as I walked in. Then I turned the hot water all the way up. The pipes creaked ominously as the spray of water began to jet down from the showerhead. I quickly stripped off my jeans and t-shirt, stepping into the shower and anticipating the scalding water slowly unknotting the muscles of my back.

I stepped into the veil of liquid.

"Shit!" I yelped, jumping away from the stream of icy water flowing from the nozzle.

I tripped over backwards, falling out of the shower and onto the tiles, towing the shower curtain along with me. It tangled around me and I wrestled with it aimlessly for a moment before going completely still. I growled under my breath as the shower continued to spray out onto the bathroom floor, the droplets pinging sharply off the tiles.

I sighed and started the grim and daunting task of untangling the drenched curtain from my wet limbs. My annoyance bubbled up even more as I had to catch long glimpses of the scars peppering my torso and forearms that I usually tried to avoid coming in eye contact with at all costs.

I finally managed to get to my feet, turning off the water and hastily throwing my dirty clothes back on. The water soaked right through.

With one last pathetic growl I wrenched open the door and stormed out into the living room. Alice's eyes widened in surprise. She was curled up on the couch, the squashy cushions seeming to swallow her up just as much as her hair did. She raised her eyebrows.

"The wind must've knocked the hot water heater out." I grumbled, slipping my boots back on. Alice pressed her lips together tightly to keep her grin hidden.

"Oh. That sucks." she said, the amusement clear as day in her melodious voice. I nodded.

"I'll go try to fix it and then we can just start thinking of ideas." I sighed, sending her an apologetic glance as I slumped outside and into the ferocious wind.

A light drizzle had begun and the rain stung as it hit my exposed skin. I realized a little too late that I forgot to put a jacket on. My already soaked clothes seemed to freeze on the spot. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself and stomped around the porch, refusing to go in there and embarrass myself further in front of the only company I'd had in years.

I dropped down onto my stomach, wriggling into the crawl space beneath the house. It was the easiest way to get to the furnace.

I pulled the lighter from the pocket of my sopping jeans, the familiar brush of my thumb as I flicked it on made me crave a cigarette. The maddening sensation of yearning in the pit of my stomach made me lightheaded. I shoved back the feeling. Imagining the livid expression on Rose's face when she found out I'd picked up that habit was enough to make me cringe in my boots. I needed to perfect my self control in that area in three months.

I crawled the rest of the way to the furnace and did what I had to, ignoring the scraping noises coming from a dark corner. It definitely wasn't mice. I shivered, backing out of the space and lumbering to the house. Alice was perched on the couch waiting patiently. I grabbed my jacket off the table, hastily wrapping it around me and flopping onto an empty armchair.

"Okay. Ready if you are." I mumbled. Alice nodded, pulling a folded piece of paper from her back pocket. She smoothed it out and began to read in her quietly musical voice.

**Year Reflection**

_Graduation is coming up fast for the seniors at Forks High School. I created this project to help you reflect on the last four years and remember the good times as well as the bad. No matter how eager you are to escape this town and start your lives, high school is an important passage and shouldn't be waved off. This will be a loosely graded project so feel free to explore your creativity. These are the criteria each person in the pair must have complete by graduation._

_. One photo of your favorite place in Forks._

_. One photo of a family member who you're close to._

_. One photo of a close friend you've met over the last four years._

_. One photo of your home._

_. One photo of something beautiful._

_You have three months to complete this assignment._

Alice finished with a soft smile. She glanced up at me.

"Well, I already know one of mine." she stated.

"Which one?" I asked absently, my mind still reeling and very overwhelmed.

"A picture of something beautiful." she whispered. I met her eyes. They were filled with something incomprehensible. I just nodded. I assumed she meant something mysterious and charming, like the art of photography itself, or maybe a place she had encountered around town.

"What about you?" she asked casually, the foreign emotion flittering out of her eyes like the click of a camera lens.

"Umm…well, I know what to take a picture of for the house one." I said artlessly.

"What a coincidence, so do I!" Alice giggled. I chuckled along with her.

My laughter froze in place as the sound of a car pulling up the driveway reached my ears. Apparently Alice heard it too. She jumped up, stuffing the paper back in her pocket.

"I'm assuming you want me to leave, correct?" she asked quietly.

I bit my lip, hating the wounded look on her face. I wanted to explain that it wasn't because I had anything against her…but there wasn't time. I nodded in defeat. She grabbed her coat and slipped silently out the door without so much as a goodbye.

I buried my head in my hands. Another almost-happy moment carried away as if by a passing wind. I sighed, trudging down the hall to my room and locking the door. One thought comforted me.

Only three more months.

**A/N: So…there's chapter two. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and put this story on alert, you guys give me inspiration. :)**


	3. Awake

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! I realized I made a mistake in the beginning of the first chapter. I somehow managed to accidentally write it was "fall" instead of "spring", which wouldn't make sense because the school year would be just starting instead of ending in a few months. So, sorry about that, I will change it and it is supposed to be spring, and…I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

I crept silently down the hallway taking special care to steer clear of every squeaky board on the uneven straightaway. It was almost noon and yet the house was still asleep, all of the occupants apart from me passed out drunk from late Friday night partying. I was just about to round the corner into the living room when I heard a light swish from the bedroom on the right.

"Jasper?" my mother's wispy voice called from inside the room. I sighed, opening the door a crack.

"Yes Ma?" I asked quietly, aware of the smashing headaches that usually came hand in hand with her hangover.

"Can you get me some aspirin?" she whispered, her voice still hoarse and thick with grogginess. I nodded, carefully closing the door.

I shuffled into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, slanting the bottle of medication until two small white pills rolled onto my palm. The counters were littered with empty beer cans and a few red-stained wine flutes. I walked slowly back to the bedroom.

"Here Ma." I murmured, handing her the pills and setting the glass of water on the overcrowded nightstand. I turned to leave.

"Wait Jasper." she called, her voice a little firmer as she propped herself upright.

"I'm real sorry about last night." she murmured.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I should've stayed out of it." I muttered, avoiding contact with her piercing blue eyes by staring at the cigarette smoke stained ceiling.

"It's just that…I mean…he didn't do it on purpose Jasper." she finished in a timid whisper. I rolled my eyes.

"You don't have to be scared of me Ma, I'm not the one who hits people around here." I grumbled.

"Look at me."

I dropped my eyes to meet hers. Irritation was written across her face, her act of desperately pleading for my forgiveness forgotten in the wake of her anger.

"It was just a couple punches Jasper, you're a man now, you can handle it." she accused coldly, always defending her despicable husband. I clenched my fits together tightly, taking a shaky breath.

"That's exactly the point. Last night it was me. But what if next time it's you?" I asked, a hint of desperation tinting my low voice. She pressed her thin lips tightly together, crossing her arms and looking straight ahead, away from my desperate gaze.

"He would never do that to me Jasper. You know that, you're just trying to stir up tension. Do you take pleasure in starting conflicts or something?" she asked with a sour glance at me. I couldn't halt the bout of searing anger bubbling up my throat and fogging my mind.

"Pleasure? Is that what you think? I'm the only one in this place that gives a damn about anything. I spent six years of my life trying to break up your petty ludicrous fights, not to mention playing referee when Rose decided to wage war, you have _no_ right to say something like that to me." I snarled. She winced at the mention of Rose, but then stiffened. She rolled her blue eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic Jasper, I didn't raise you that way. Get over it. And don't you _ever_ accuse my husband of something like that again." she threatened, her voice raising to a hoarse shout. I stood up swiftly, making for the door.

"What one minute kid." a deep voice commanded. I turned back to the sight of my step-father propped up on one arm, an acid look on his face. His brown hair was plastered to his head with sweat.

"What did I tell you about bothering your mother? Especially when she has one of her headaches." he reprimanded me like I was a child.

"Sorry, I was just leaving." I grumbled, making towards the door yet again.

"Speaking of leaving, when are you moving out of here kid?" he asked. My mother's eyes widened and she looked at me like she was really seeing me for the first time.

"Soon? Or are you still keeping a promise to a dead man?" he chuckled. A sharp twinge shot through my chest.

"That's none of your business." I snarled, tearing out of the room and through the front door, knowing I was going to regret that later.

I was still slightly shocked. No matter how many times my mother accused me of ridiculous things, it still hurt. I always struggled to remember the way she used to be, before the bad years, but it kept getting harder and harder as the time progressed.

I hopped into the truck, chips of light blue paint floating featherlike onto the worn grey fabric of the seat as I slammed the door. I started up the engine and headed off to work. The last patches of winter snow were melting on the roadsides as I blew past. The April air was slowly settling the town into a optimistic, fresh state. I shoved away my damaged thoughts and tried to absorb nature's calm atmosphere instead.

I pulled into the dirt driveway, the tiny white building coming into view. I slipped out of my truck and meandered past the huge sign reading **"Creek Side Clipper" **on account of the fact that a small stream flowed smoothly behind the building. There was massive pair of scissors painted onto the wooden sign, along with what I always assumed was a blow dryer, but could just as well be some futuristic alien ray gun. The paint had run and trickled down the board from the years of rain, making it almost incomprehensible.

Judy's haircutting shop was one of the oldest businesses in Forks and she swore that repainting the sign would be a bad omen.

I climbed the concrete steps and opened the door, smiling slightly as the bells tied to the hinge tinkled sweetly.

"Jasper, my boy! You're looking handsome today." Judy's thunderous voice boomed from the other side of the counter that split the small room in half. I felt a wave of heat creep up my neck, warming my ears in a red blush.

"Thank you ma'am." I mumbled, ducking my head. She laughed her bellowing laugh that spread openly through the air, making my heart warm.

"Now come here, you don't need to be shy around me boy." she chastised me gently. I grinned, walking into her warm embrace. Judy was a heavyset woman, in her fifties, the layers of wrinkles lining her face candidly displaying the evidence of her many years of hard, honest work in this small town.

To me, they just made her more beautiful. Her strong, broad arms enveloped me and I inhaled the thick scent of her homemade perfume.

She released me from her firm grip, stepping back and putting her hands on my shoulders, looking me in the eyes. She shook her head with a grin.

"Now boy, ain't you a looker. Take a glimpse of these eyes ladies." she called to the usual group of women that spent the day gossiping with Judy.

"These eyes are as pale blue as the forget-me-nots my husband used to pick for me every year, steady as clockwork that man was." she proclaimed. The red deepened, embarrassment flowing through my veins. Judy was the only one that knew how to make me blush. Her kind words always rung with sincerity. I was closer to her than I was my own mother these days.

"Yeah, your boy sure is a looker." one of the ladies chuckled. "Strong and hardworking too." she praised.

"Thank you Mrs. Anderson." I murmured with a shy smile.

"Have you got yourself a girl yet Jasper? Hmm? You must have." she declared with a nod. I shook my head.

"Not yet."

"Well, it's only a matter of time. The girls must be chasing after you." she laughed. I just gave in with a small nod, not wanting to dishearten her with the cold fact that no one would want someone like me.

I noticed the ladies had swapped the mugs of hot chocolate sitting on the corner table for tall glasses of pink lemonade. I chuckled.

"Summer isn't arriving for another few months ladies, a little eager are we?" I chided them jokingly.

"It's never too early for pink lemonade Jasper!" Judy gasped. I chuckled again, hanging up my coat on the wooden rack.

A faint memory fluttered to the surface of my mind. I remembered standing by the coat rack as a small child, asking all of the customers if I could hang up their coats and hats. I had overlooked the fact that it was nearly eighty degrees outside and became disheartened after a few hours of coming up empty-handed.

"The new shipment of supplies came in, they're out in the back. That boy Mike Newton unloaded them from the truck for me, but then he just took off out of nowhere, like he'd seen a ghost." Judy muttered with a puzzled shake of her head.

"I reckon he was just too lazy to bring them inside and set them up. But I suppose that's why I hired you, boy." she exclaimed affectionately.

I smiled at her, heading outside and around the back of the shop. I probably should've mentioned that Mike didn't run off because of laziness, but rather fear. Oops. I grinned to myself. The cluster of boxes were under a makeshift tarp I had set up last year, keeping them safe and dry from the near constant drizzle in Forks.

I heaved one up the steps and into the shop, cutting it open with a swift swipe of my pocket knife.

The bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and who knows what else stared up at me menacingly.

This was the hardest part of my job, trying to figure out where the hell everything goes. The shop was tiny and cramped and the walls were taken up by long wooden shelves cluttered with various beauty products. I look a long, pensive glance at the bottle label. Then I scoured the room searching for the matching one on the shelves.

"Ah ha." I muttered to myself, setting the bottle of menacing pink syrup like substance on the lower shelf. Judy's deep chuckle came from beside me.

"How many years have you worked for me, boy?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Errr….around three and a half." I answered, bewildered. She shook her head.

"And you still have no knowledge of the craft of cosmetology whatsoever. Typical man." she snorted, sending me a wink. I laughed, getting back to work. I really had no idea what the attraction was to all these fancy products. I just preferred Judy's homemade mixtures. The thick, gelatinous lumps of shampoo made my hair clean, mostly, and that was all that mattered as far as I could tell.

I finished up with the boxes a few hours later. Judy thrust a broom at me, absentmindedly telling me to sweep up. The majority of her concentration was focused on getting the "perfect" shade of red highlights for a customer. I was sweeping the strands and clumps of loose hair into a pile on the wooden floor when I heard the door bell ring as it opened.

I felt a weird presence slip around me. Alice.

I quickly stepped back into the corner, hiding like a coward behind the coat rack. I had no idea what to say after out parting last time. What if she was still hurt? Or, worse, what if she was angry? I decided to continue being a spineless coward until Monday when I had to talk to her in school.

"What can I do for you, sweetie?" Judy's deep voice boomed.

"Just chop it all off." Alice muttered, her voice choked up. An alarm jolted through my body. I felt the sudden urge to cause a large amount of harm to whatever had made her upset. I peeked out from my hiding spot long enough to see the glimmering tears cascading down her cheeks. She looked distressed, her long mane of black tresses tangled.

"Are you sure sweetie? Your hair is so beautiful, I would feel terrible just cutting it all of." Judy murmured. Alice nodded.

"I'm sure. Please." she pleaded.

"Alright." Judy gave in, grabbing a pair of scissors from the counter. I watched in horror as the long black locks tumbled to the floor one by one.

"There ya go." Judy said with wistful smile.

"Thank you." Alice murmured, handing her a handful of crinkled dollar bills.

Her new hairstyle emphasized her tiny features even more drastically. She looked like a elf, or maybe a sprite. Something that belonged soaring around in a rainforest, free of society's restraints.

And then she was gone again, slipping gracefully through the door and down the steps.

I finished work and headed home. The night was full of shouts and quarrels, nothing out of the ordinary for my household. As I drifted to sleep I wouldn't let myself admit what the high point of my day was.

Seeing Alice's face. Her tears had awoken something inside of me. And it didn't seem to be falling asleep anytime soon.

**A/N: So, there's chapter three. I gotta say, there are so many AMAZING stories on this site. I spend so much time reading them. I want to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story so far. It means a lot to me that out of all the magnificently written stories out there you take time to read this one. I strive to write my best, and even though it often doesn't turn out well, I hope to keep improving. Ok, heartfelt speech over, thank you for reading!!! ;)**


	4. Sunshine

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**Monday- last period**

I glanced up from my book to see Alice maneuvering her tiny frame through the clusters of students. Even though I was already aware of her new haircut, it still took me by surprise. The short tufts were jutting out, making a spiky crown. It was disconcerting, but she still looked beautiful.

She'd had long hair since kindergarten. Heck, even before kindergarten. I had distinct memories of seeing her dancing along the sidewalk in town, hauling along her huge brown Tabby cat snuggled safely in her arms. She'd bounce along in her adorable little dresses, an upbeat grin splashed across her face.

She couldn't have been more than three or four and yet her hair was long and lovely. She'd stop and smile at all the folks waking down the street and wave at all the cars, naive and innocent to the fact that some people weren't…good. Alice had never paused a moment to determine who she wanted to speak to, everyone was pleasant in her mind. In elementary school she would play and chat with anyone she came across.

Then something had changed. In middle school she'd withdrew from everyone, trusting only her cousin Bella as a companion. They would sit alone in the lunchroom chatting and laughing together, but Alice's buoyant bliss and bubbly spunk had been replaced with a knowing wisdom and maturity.

She had grown up. Suddenly and abruptly.

I was propelled from my thoughts when Alice sat quietly down beside me, laying her negatives out carefully on the table.

I was a little…stunned. When had I started paying so much attention to her? My whole life, apparently. I had been watching her every move since before kindergarten and I never realized it. I must be an idiot. I shook it off, smiling sheepishly at Alice.

"I'm sorry." I murmured pitifully. She smiled at me slightly.

"Don't worry about it, I'm not upset about what happened Friday. I am, however, upset that you hid from me on Saturday." she scolded, raising her eyebrows.

"How did you know I was there?"

"I know these kinds of things." she stated ominously. "Although, I wasn't exactly in a condition for conversation, so I suppose it's sort of a good thing." she muttered.

"Errr, what happened? To provoke…this?" I asked carefully, motioning to her new haircut, not wanting to pry. Okay, so I did want to pry, I just didn't want her to be upset.

"I just….got a little overwhelmed. I needed to be in control of something." she murmured vaguely.

"Oh."

"Yeah." she murmured, holding back a smile.

She stood up and began her graceful dance-walking toward the darkroom, motioning for me to follow with an airy wave of her hand. I closed my book and set it on the table, perfectly happy following her lead.

A slight shiver went down my spine as I stepped into the nearly pitch-dark area. My mind was screaming at me to run, to get outside and as far away as possible. The memories pressed against the surface of my consciousness. I shoved back. The feeling of Alice's bizarre aura around me kept me coherent.

Then she flipped on the amber lights and a faded glow set across the room. I took a deep breath. She smiled at me wistfully.

"You know…I always thought of this room as a safe haven. From life. Nothing can be seen clearly, it's like hiding behind a foggy mirror. No one can see the cracks." she whispered somberly, like she was letting go of a vital secret. I nodded, letting that sink in. So Alice is scared of people seeing her for who she truly is. I'm scared of that too.

"What do you think of it?" she asked quietly. I bit my lip. I suppose she deserves the truth.

"It scares the hell out of me." I confided. She chuckled.

"I thought you might say that."

I realized it would be a lost cause asking her to explain what exactly she meant by that, so I just nodded again. Her tiny features were softly illuminated by the amber lights, making her appear almost surreal.

"Alice…I think you might be an elf." I whispered teasingly. She rolled her eyes.

"Let's get to work." she muttered. Alice spent the class murmuring quiet instructions while I scrambled to print the pictures correctly. It was…confusing to say the least. When the bell rang I stumbled out of the darkroom, once again dazed and overwhelmed by the sheer delicacy of the art. This damn photography class will be the death of me.

Alice giggled, shaking her head.

"Yeesh Jasper, you look like you just tried to memorize a whole encyclopedia." she informed me. "You'll get he hang of it, it just takes practice." she assured after the sour look I gave her. The bell rang loudly. I heard Mrs. Wilson clear her throat over the clamor of conversations.

"I'm trusting you guys to take good care of the cameras I'm lending you for this project." she called over the racket. The noise calmed down and each set of partners went to sign out a camera.

Alice stayed at the back of the class, leaning serenely against the wall next to the darkroom door as the students filed out of the classroom in groups. I waited next to her, reading the posters on the back wall that had instructions on different aspects of photography. I glanced back to see her dancing up to the desk and signing out a camera. She murmured a thank you to Mrs. Wilson before walking back to my side.

"Uh…you house or mine?" I asked uneasily.

"Bella's house, if that's okay. She's a family member I'm close to, so that'll be one picture done. Not to mention there is a very large chance that Edward may be there and he's a friend I've met in the last four years." she explained. I nodded, a little relieved and a little nervous. Alice chuckled.

"Don't worry, you won't have to talk very much." she assured me. I nodded again. We walked out to the parking lot where my old truck sat, sturdy and steadfast as always. Alice hopped daintily into the passenger side as I clamored into the driver's seat.

"The snow is all melted now." Alice stated conversationally. The best answer I could come up with was a grunt of agreement. She smiled. About what, I have no idea, but it was soothing to see.

I started up the truck and Alice gave quick instructions to Bella's house. The ride was silent.

I pulled into Bella's driveway and parked alongside her beaten up rusted red truck that would give my pickup a run for its money in a crappy car contest. By the time I unfolded my long legs from under the steering wheel and extracted myself from the truck, Alice was already at my side.

"You're fast." I muttered.

"I know." she answered easily. We walked up to the front door and she knocked softly before opening it. The noises of a rowdy football game poured from a television somewhere.

"Bells?" she called.

"Alice?" a gruff voice sounded from the living room.

"Yeah Charlie, it's me." Alice said as she peeked her head around the corner.

"Bella and….that boy… are out back doing homework or something." Charlie informed her. I saw her nod before disappearing into the room. I peered warily around the corner.

"Thanks Uncle Charlie." she whispered as she gave a him a hug. I quickly stood up straight as she turned around and walked back out the front door. I followed. We went around the small house and into the back lawn.

Bella and Edward were stretched out on an old flannel blanket, the rare sunbeams of Forks streaming down on them through the thick trees. Bella was laying on her stomach, a chemistry textbook opened in front of her as she studied it intently.

Edward was sprawled out on his side pretending to read a novel, but I noticed him peeking over the book every few seconds to stare at his girlfriend. Something glittered faintly in the bright sunlight. Okay, scratch that, staring at his fiancé. The huge gleaming diamond on Bella's finger suddenly stood out like a beacon.

I shook my head, glancing over at Alice. She walked over to them, flopping down on the blanket.

"Come on Jasper!" she called over. I sighed, wandering cautiously over to the group. I felt like I was in front of a crowd of a million people all gawking at me while I took those few tiny steps toward them. Alice apparently noticed I was on edge because she quickly dropped her eyes and started chatting with her friends. Bella swiftly switched her glance from me to Alice and a moment later so did Edward.

I let my shoulders slump in relief. I went the last few steps, sitting carefully on the damp grass. The droplets on the blades slowly leaked through the rough fabric of my jeans. I closed my eyes and laid back onto the slippery blades, catching the stream of conversation.

"I can't believe my dad is still being so huffy about this. I mean, I knew he'd be upset for awhile, but I figured a few days. It's been almost two months." Bella sighed forlornly. Alice patted her back consolingly, running her nimble fingers through Bella's long brown hair. I waited for Alice to say something, but she remained silent.

"I mean, I know I'm only eighteen, but I've been dating Edward since ninth grade and I obviously love him." Bella continued confiding in her cousin "and want to marry him. We're ready." she stated with untainted conviction in her soft voice.

"Not to mention your ulterior motives." Edward chuckled. I cracked an eye open. Bella slapped him playfully as a warm blush rose up in her cheeks.

"That's private Edward." Bella chastised. I closed my eyes again.

"Please, love, I'm perfectly aware that you tell Alice all of our….personal business." he teased. Bella's voice dropped to a whisper.

"Yes I talk to Alice but not…" she trailed off. I assumed she was throwing a furtive glance at me, but I didn't open my eyes to find out. I suddenly had an overwhelming feeling that I was invading upon their privacy. Bella coughed awkwardly.

"Well, anyway, Charlie is barely talking to me now and he sends death glares at Edward every time he comes through the door. It's ridiculous." Bella grumbled.

"He's just worried that he's losing his little girl, Bella. You mean the world to him. You're all he's got." Alice murmured, her voice more soft and tender than anything I'd ever heard before. I opened my eyes in surprise. A few shimmering tears were forming in Bella's eyes.

"I know." she whispered. Alice wrapped her in a sisterly hug, patting her hair down with gentle strokes.

"I'm going to miss him so much." Bella murmured into Alice's shirt. Edward looked helpless, staring at his fiancé with anguish clear in his green eyes.

"I know. But you need to start your life. You and Edward both getting into Dartmouth is not an opportunity you can just pass up. It's a once in a lifetime kind of thing that doesn't happen to many people. Besides, you can always fly back to see Charlie on vacations from school." Alice murmured soothingly.

Her voice was like a relaxing melody, and although Bella began to relax from the words she was saying I couldn't help the way my muscles relaxed from just the tone of her voice. It was reassuring and solid, but so soft at the same time. _Beautiful, _I thought to myself.

The three of them glanced at me curiously. Oops. I guess I said it aloud. I sat up quickly, picking at a loose string on my flannel shirt.

"Uh, the weather is beautiful today." I muttered awkwardly. Bella nodded, sending me a timid smile. Alice giggled. Edward just looked at me funny.

"Anyway guys, this is Jasper. We're partners in photography." Alice informed them. "Do you guys mind if I take a picture of each of you?"

"Of course not Alice"

"Oops, I forgot the camera in the truck. I'll be right back." and with that she leapt up and began her dance across the lawn. I looked down at my hands, biting my lip. Finally, after what seemed like a ten years, Alice returned.

Bella leaned back on her arms, flashing a bright smile. I watched carefully as Alice adjusted the light meter and focus. The sharp and sudden _click _of the object made me jump slightly. Alice rolled her eyes. Then she turned to Edward.

He sat up straight, a proper, modest smile across his features. I had the sudden image of the early nineteen hundreds fill my mind. In a place where everything was polished and refined. The image in my head was in black and white, Edward lounging casually in a ballroom wearing a suit while couples danced freely near him. Then the camera clicked and I was brought back to the present as Edward slipped out of his pose and drew Bella into a chaste kiss.

I shook my head. Today is a weird day. Alice and Bella chatted for a few more minutes but as the sky began to darken into twilight Alice stretched and stood up.

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow." she stated with a yawn.

"Good bye." I murmured. They both shouted their goodbyes as we meandered back to my truck.

"I'm so sorry Jasper, I didn't mean to stay this long. I probably ruined your whole evening." she said with a little pout. I laughed.

"Not at all Alice. It was much better than what I had planned." I assured her.

"And what was it you had planned?" she asked shyly. I shrugged.

"Rob some banks, commit arson, the usual." I said casually.

She laughed, but I'm sure knew I was tiptoeing around her question. I just didn't feel like telling her the pathetic truth. That I would've been either be holed up in my attic or out in the back woods getting drunk by myself. It numbed everything for a while, but then I felt crappier then before. I couldn't seem to stop hoping that one of these times the numbness would stay permanent.

"You live on Maple Street, right?" I asked quietly. She nodded. It was such a common street name, yet it was home to such a strange girl. I pulled in front of the tiny yellow bungalow.

In the spring it was overgrown with all types of spindly plant tendrils and masses of ivy, but now, in the early April air, almost all of the vegetation was still wilted and brown.

"I'll see you tomorrow Jasper. We'll get one of your pictures done." she promised.

A faint quiver went through me as she said my name. The darkening skies suddenly made everything more real, like the trivial wall of secrets put up by folks in the daytime was slowly draining away along with the sun. I nodded and murmured my goodbye before I said something I might regret. Alice gave me a tiny smile as she hopped out of the truck. I took off down the shadowy streets.

Three more months.

**A/N: Chapter four! I finally got a chance to write because I was pretty much trapped inside today by a foot of snow. And it's still falling. Ugh. Anyways, I would love reviews! :)**


	5. Reassurance

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**Friday- last period**

Alice wasn't in school Tuesday. Or Wednesday. Or Thursday.

The first day I wasn't troubled by it, I'd figured she'd just caught a cold or had a dentist appointment. The second day a pocket of uneasiness formed in the pit of my stomach. By the third day my chest seemed to turn into a tornado of anxiety, washing away any desire to eat or sleep until I saw her again. I shoved away the slinking worries flashing behind my eyes. They shoved back. I just prayed she was okay.

I glanced restlessly toward the entrance of the photography classroom for the millionth time in five minutes. The knot in my chest loosened and fell away as I caught sight of Alice's black hair bobbing down the hallway from through the window.

I felt foolish. Was it normal to have that degree of fear when your classmate is absent for a few days? I don't think so. Alice slipped quietly into her chair beside me.

Her eyes flickered to mine for a split second, but it was enough to convey her message to me. She didn't want to speak about whatever had caused her to miss the last three days. I swallowed back my questions.

"What picture do you want to start with?" she asked.

"My favorite place in Forks." I blurted out. She nodded. I mentally slapped myself. The class dragged by slowly as Alice finished up the rest of her prints from the last project while I attempted to read the required literature for English class. After ten minutes of staring blankly at the pages I gave up and opened one of my civil war books.

The minutes ticked by.

"Jasper?" Alice's musical voice chimed from behind me.

"Hmmm?"

"I noticed you sure have a lot of trouble reading the novels for English. Why is that?" she murmured. I bit my lip, trying to figure out how to explain it right.

"Well, in war books, or any historical books for that matter, it's like you have a birds eye view of the situation. You can reflect on the strategies and tactics because you're extracted from the events happening. The things that happened are factual, you know they occurred. But in novels…there's so much that's assumed. The events are twisted by emotions and the ideals of the person writing it, not to mention the actual characters. I like the straight facts when it comes to books. There's so much smoke and mirrors in real life, I can't handle it if it's in books too, the frustration is too much." I finished quietly.

Alice had given away a small secret of herself in the darkroom Monday, but I felt like I had just given her a part of my soul. And I hadn't even tried to stop myself. I took a deep breath. Alice was giving me that strange look again. I smiled at her slightly.

"Well…if you tried to imagine yourself as outside of the book instead of looking at it as if you're inside the events, I think it might help. You know, get down to the real truth." she suggested with a tiny smile. I nodded.

"Perhaps."

The bell dinged sharply and Alice and I made our way out to the parking lot again.

"Where are we going?" Alice asked, a under layer of excitement in her voice.

"You'll see." I teased. She scowled at me. I drove slowly down the roads, looking at the natural green surrounding us. Alice had a smile on her face as she looked pleasantly out into the forest.

"Can I roll the window down?"

I nodded and then chuckled as she struggled with the rusty handle, her face scrunched up in concentration as she slowly turned it. A high pitched squealing sound whined from the truck.

"Do you want help?" I asked amusedly. She shook her head.

"I've got this." she muttered through clenched teeth as the lever went it's final twist.

"Whew. How long has it been since you opened that window?" she grumbled.

"I've never opened it. Only the driver's side one." I explained.

"Oh."

"Yeah. I don't get a lot of company." I chuckled. My laughter died out into silence as I realized how depressing that was.

We pulled into the driveway of the Creek Side Clipper. The familiar sign stood sturdy and infallible as always. My heart jumped at the thought of introducing Alice to Judy. Social interactions are not my strong suit.

Alice giggled.

"Is that a…pistol?"

"No, it's a blow-dryer." I chuckled.

We walked up the concrete steps and into the tiny room. The bells tied to the door tinkled sweetly and the overwhelming scent of hair products filled my nose. I glanced beside me to see Alice's eyes widen in surprise as she breathed in the heavily laced air. Judy was on the other side of the cluttered counter fussing over a customers hair. She turned as the bells chimed, her blank expression morphing into a vast grin.

"Jasper, my boy! What in the world are you doing here on a weekday?" she exclaimed, walking around the counter to greet me. She enveloped me in one of her perfume filled hugs, patting my back roughly.

"And who is this pretty young lady?" she asked with a not-so-subtle wink in my direction.

"This is Alice."

"Oh! I remember you! You're the little lady who decided to chop off all her beautiful hair." Judy said, a tinge of regret filling her features. Alice smiled and nodded shyly.

"Now, tell me, has my boy been nice to you? Polite and gentlemanly like I taught him?" Judy demanded with twinkle in her eye.

"He's been nothing but well-mannered." Alice assured her with a smile.

"Good. That's one of the most important qualities, I'll tell you."

"Judy, would you mind if I took a picture of this place? It's for a school project." I asked before the flush of red embarrassment could creep up from my neck and onto the rest of my face.

"Of course! Go ahead." Judy chuckled, walking back to her customer.

I stood back by the door and angled myself so I could see the whole room. Alice dug the camera out of her bag and took it out of the case, handing it to me carefully. I set the light meter and focused in like Alice had taught me, trying to remember the all of the advice she'd given me. I pressed down on the button. The sharp click of the camera in my hands made my mind whirl. This whole scene, what I was looking at right now, could be saved forever in this tiny machine.

I shook my head, handing it back to Alice. She raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything. I said goodbye to Judy, promising to be at work bright and early the next morning. We walked back to the truck.

"Jasper, do you want to take the picture of your house today too?"

"Sure." I said, quickly checking the clock on the truck console. No one would be home for at least fifteen minutes. I picked up the pace on the way there, acceleration down the open roads.

If Alice wasn't with me I probably would've broken the speed limit without a thought, pushing my truck to its breaking point. But the faint sensation of her presence kept me slightly below the limit. I pulled into my driveway, letting the truck idle.

Alice handed me the camera once again. I hopped out of the cab and took the photo as hastily as I could without forgetting all of the information she had told me. I wanted to impress her. And to do that, these pictures needed to turn out well. When I finished and had cleared my head of the philosophical wonder of photography, I climbed back into the truck.

Alice smiled at me, her azure eyes shimmering with subdued wisdom.

Suddenly a blanket gloom settled over me, followed by a wave of aggravation. In that moment I wanted nothing more than to be a normal seventeen year old boy. I wanted to invite Alice inside to watch a movie or work on homework. I wanted to ask her over to meet my family and have a nice, calm dinner where we would joke and laugh and tell funny childhood stories. I simply wanted a friend.

I looked at my house and all of those desires dropped away. I couldn't waste time wishing my life was different. It would always be as it is, with parents who don't exactly hate me, but sure as hell don't like me either. But in three months I'll be gone. Either down in Texas with my sister if she actually does show up, or alone.

I glanced over at Alice. Her perceptive eyes met mine and I felt exposed.

She reached a small hand toward me, keeping her eyes on mine. I held out my hand, palm up, beckoning her. Her soft fingertips met my calloused palm and a soft reassurance seeped through my nerve endings. She intertwined her thin fingers with mine and rubbed tender circles on the back of my hand.

"Don't worry Jasper, the future has a way of working itself out." Alice whispered, her fingers slipping from mine. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Someone's pulling up the road. I think it's easier to drive with both hands." she said, amusement in her chiming voice.

"Oh crap." I muttered, pulling the truck around in a tight circle.

I sped pass my stepfather and mom who gave me a dirty look. I sighed, heading toward Alice's house.

As soon as we hit the main road I casually reached over and took her hand, longing for the gentle reassurance the touch brought. Her words replayed in my head.

I hoped she was right. When we pulled up in front of the small yellow cottage she aimed the camera out of the open window. After a minute or two of adjustments the camera clicked. She turned back to me, a content grin splashed across her features.

A loud crash came from inside the bungalow. Alice's eyes widened in panic and she tore her hand from mine, throwing the door open hastily.

"I'll see you Monday." she called over her shoulder as she dashed for the house. The crash resounded from the cottage again, this time even louder.

Every instinct was screaming at me to go in there and make sure everything was okay. Before I could start getting all dramatic and foolish, Alice popped her head out the front door.

"Everything is fine Jasper, go home." she called from porch. She looked frustrated and upset, but unscathed.

I sighed, starting up the truck and doing as she said. I parked in the driveway and sat in my truck, impassively watching the sun set through the trees. Darkness slowly settled over Forks. With a pathetic sigh I took the key out of the ignition and stuffed it in my pocket, heading for the front door.

I strode hurriedly past the living room, trying to ignore the raised voices and stench of spilled alcohol that was already perceptible even in the night's earliest hours. I didn't even bother going into my bedroom, the sounds from the other rooms could be heard clear as a bell.

Instead I clutched the worn rope hanging from the ceiling and yanked down the wobbly ladder, hopping onto the bottom rung and hoisting myself up into the secure confines of the attic. Plowing through all of the boxes and cobwebs I finally made it to the farthest corner. A pile of blankets was bunched in the small area, along with a damaged radio that still worked if you bent the antenna at exactly the right angle.

I turned on a fuzzy country station and listened to the gentle crooning flowing from it. I smoothed out the tangled quilts and laid back, stretching my gangly legs out into the darkness.

I couldn't help but imagine the way Alice's tiny figure would fit perfectly right next to me, curled into my side as I held her close and talked about music or books or anything, really.

I shook my head in disgust. Why would a beautiful girl like Alice want to spend her time in a grimy old attic with a boy who can barely hold a thirty second conversation and will end up ditching her in three months anyway? I couldn't come up with an answer. I closed my eyes and listened to the soft music. The familiar song that played brought me back to a happier time.

*******Flashback********

"Uncle Henry, can I go with you back to Texas this time? Pleeeeease?" the little boy whined, shaking his thick locks of blonde hair from his eyes so he could look up clearly. His Uncle looked back at him with an amused glint in his eyes.

"Jasper, you know I'd love to bring you to visit, but you also know how much your mother worries." he told the little boy for the tenth time that day.

Jasper crossed his arms across his chest and pouted, giving a longing glance at the collage of photos from his Uncle's ranch. He yearned for the wide open expanses with herds of cattle scattered throughout the land. His heart ached for the dusty roads and horses and rolling plains and even the state flag with its "Lone Star".

He tore his eyes from the photos as his parents entered the room. His mother smiled at him warmly as his father, his real father, slipped his muscled arm around her waist.

"What's got you so low, boy?" his father asked him in his deep, rough voice. The little boy was aware that his father already knew the answer, but he told him anyway.

"I want to go to Texas." he muttered dejectedly.

"Jasper, you're six years old. I am not letting you go there without your parents." his mother scolded softly.

"Why can't you guys come too?" the boy asked, perking up slightly.

"They have their reasons, Jasper. Don't question your mother." his Uncle chastised. Jasper slumped down in his seat with a sigh.

"Sorry." he mumbled.

"You'll get there someday, boy." his father chuckled, lifting him up and enveloping him in a warm hug. Jasper inhaled the scent of pine trees and shaving cream.

" 'Someday' sounds like an awfully long time away." he grumbled.

******End Flashback******

One single tear dropped from my eye and onto the dusty floor, making a tiny swirl of mud.

I shut off the radio with more force than necessary and punched my makeshift pillow into a dented lump before drifting off into a restless sleep.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you soooooooo much for the reviews, they helped me get this chapter out much faster. I hope you liked it! :)**


	6. Rainy Days

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**Jasper P.O.V**

**Monday- Last period**

The weekend had dragged by in a churn of Judy's perfume filled hugs, quarrels, and alcohol.

I had subconsciously started using thoughts of Alice as an escape from other, less welcome thoughts. When I was craving a cigarette and that maddening sensation of yearning would well up in the pit of my stomach, I concentrated on remembering Alice's face or laugh or voice and it would gradually fade into a manageable ache.

Daydreams of the beguiling girl began to pop up almost as frequently as the daydreams of Texas and escaping this vile town.

I tapped my mud caked boots on the tiled floor as I waited for class to begin. The novel for English was propped open in front of me, and although Alice's suggestion had helped a little, I had the feeling I would never be a fan of the classics. Alice slipped gracefully into the classroom just as the bell rang. She sure had a talent for getting places in the nick of time.

"Hello Jasper." she chirped happily.

"Uhh...hi Alice." I replied, a little disconcerted. She sure bounced back fast. Any trace of worry or frustration that was etched across her face Friday night when I had dropped her off was washed away. She smiled brightly, her azure eyes shining.

I'd always been good at reading people's emotions, so I attempted that with Alice. I grimaced slightly as I caught the telltale signs of weariness. Her eyes were ringed with tinges of black and her face was pale, the rosy undertones gone.

"Alice…are you okay?" I asked quietly. She turned to me, her eyes wide.

"Yes, of course, I'm fine." she mumbled. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked a bit desperately.

"Uhhh…no reason, I just thought you looked a little tired."

"Oh. Thank you, but I'm fine."

"Okay." We worked in silence for a few minutes on the worksheet Mrs. Wilson had handed out.

"Jasper?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm not fine." Alice murmured, looking down at the desk.

I bit my lip, wondering what the hell to say to that. Instead of trying to piece together some heartfelt advice or consoling speech, I simply took her tiny hand in my calloused one, trying to bring her the same soft reassurance she had given me. I guess it worked because she looked up at me gratefully from under her lashes.

"Thank you Jasper." she murmured, sending me one of those charming smiles filled to the brim with wisdom much too confounding for me to begin to understand. Her eyes sparkled.

I sighed, rubbing gentle circles on the back of her hand like she'd done a few days before.

When had I become so…emotional? 'Charming smiles' and 'sparkling eyes'? This mysterious girl seemed to have made my masculinity go out the window. What happened to a few weeks ago, when I had thought of girls using describing words like 'hot' and 'sexy'. Of course, I thought Alice was those things too, but so much more. There were more important things about her, like the fact that she was obviously hurting.

I looked back to her. She was leaning on the plastic chair, balancing precariously on the two back legs. Her eyes were closed and I could hear her humming to herself softly.

"Alice?"

"Yes?"

"Is the thing that's… bothering you…something I can help with?"

"Not really, I mean maybe, but it's more of a thing I need to handle by myself." she murmured, biting her lip and dropping back onto all four chair legs.

"Oh."

"You say that a lot." she chuckled, pressing her lips together to hide a smile.

"It's my catch phrase." I joked lamely. She giggled, getting back to work on the papers. Her right hand scribbled furiously across the paper, then she froze.

"Oh, do you need your hand back?" she asked amusedly, seeming to just realize her fingers were still laced between mine in a death-grip.

"Actually, no, I'm left handed." I chuckled, trying my hardest not to turn that into something more significant in my mind. The ridiculous notion that it was some kind of 'sign' was crazy to think, but I couldn't help it. Maybe it was that way so that through everything we did, we could still hold hands. I shoved away that foolish idea. Just because I was left handed and she right didn't make us some kind of 'soul mates'.

We finished our work in silence, a kind of understanding flowing through our joined hands. When the bell rang we headed out to my truck.

"Interesting weather." I stated mildly as we slogged through the torrents of heavy rain. Forks was always wet, but this was ridiculous. We might as well be swimming.

"Raining, always raining!" I grumbled to myself. Alice giggled, her sharp ears catching my mumbled words.

"Remember Jasper, _April showers bring May flowers_." she recited the familiar saying with an amused grin.

"What's so great about flowers?" I asked a little sourly. Alice looked genuinely offended.

"What do you mean? Everything is great about flowers! They're one of nature's miracles. The better question would be what's _not _great about flowers, and the answer to that is nothing." she finished her rant as we arrived at the truck, our clothes soaked through. I laughed. An actual laugh, not just a chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just how insulted you got over plants." She gave me an even look.

"Don't mess with flowers." were her final words of warning as she hopped gracefully into the truck cab.

I climbed into the driver's seat still chuckling slightly. I paid extra attention to my surroundings, squinting through the pouring rain as we inched through the lot, the windshield wipers going full blast.

"So, where are we going?" I asked quietly. She turned to me, biting her lip and still managing to look mysterious and beautiful in her sodden sweater and jeans. Her short locks of jet black hair were sticking up all over and her eyes were troubled.

"Jasper….do you want to come to my house? To do homework or something? You know, take a break from the project?" she asked quietly, picking a stray thread on her sweater and looking everywhere but at me.

"If you're comfortable with that." I answered carefully. She furrowed her eyebrows.

"No, I'm not comfortable with that, but I need to get over it. I'm selfish and cruel for being ashamed of the situation at my house. I need to start with someone I trust. And I trust you…" she trailed off, suddenly staring straight at me, her eyes wide. I sighed.

"I'm not going to lie and say that you should trust me. I'm not exactly a good guy, Alice. But if you want a friend to lean on today, I'll be there." I muttered through my teeth.

This wasn't supposed to be happening. I'm leaving in June, I shouldn't be founding friendships. I never have before this.

I growled under my breath, honking the truck horn rudely at a couple making out in the middle of the parking lot. Only in Forks would the pouring rain be no match for teenage hormones. They scampered out of the way and I pulled away from the school in the direction of Alice's house. We slowly crept down the nearly deserted roads in silence as I concentrated on driving through the downpour.

We reached Alice's house. The tiny bungalow was beginning to restore itself to it's vine covered glory, the brown tendrils reaching over the walls starting to awaken in the temperate weather. Alice took a steadying breath and opened the truck door. I followed suit, striding close behind her up to the porch. She opened the door and stepped inside, motioning for me to follow.

The wall paper inside the house was a jumble of flower patterns and the floor was dark wood. Mismatched furniture crowded the tiny living room, it reminded me of my house in some ways, yet it was completely different. I could feel the warm, homey vibes radiating from the cluttered space instead of the sloppy disregard that was the usual atmosphere in my house.

A tiny woman sat in a wooden rocking chair.

"Grandma?" Alice called quietly, her voice muted. The old woman opened her eyes slowly. She squinted at us, looking perplexed.

"Holly, is that you?" she asked, her voice raspy and hesitant. I glanced at Alice curiously but she was looking straight ahead, a sad smile tingeing her lips.

"No grandma, it's me, Alice." she whispered. The woman furrowed her eyebrows.

"Holly, I don't know anyone named Alice." she said, her voice childlike despite the hoarse tone. She clutched the arms of her rocking chair and began to rise unsteadily. Alice rushed over to the elderly woman, tenderly coaxing her back onto the rocker.

"Shhh grandma, it's alright. It is me. It's Holly. Don't worry, I'm right here." Alice murmured soothingly, hugging the older woman delicately. She gradually began to calm down, the panic in her eyes fading. She fell asleep. Alice sighed, seeming drained. She unwrapped her thin arms from around her grandmother, grabbing a worn quilt from the couch and draping it gently over her.

She shuffled into the hallway, her normal bouncy walk stifled. I followed her into her room. A splatter of black and white photographs were tacked up everywhere, consuming the whole area. I couldn't even determine what color the wall was painted. I turned to Alice.

"Alzheimer's?" I asked quietly. Alice nodded, flopping down on her bed and burying her head in the pillows. She curled up into a ball, crushing her knees to her chest. A single tremor went through her body.

"She doesn't even know who I am anymore most days." she whispered.

I fought off the selfish impulses to flee, to escape from the oppressive cloud of sadness that hung over the bedroom.

I stepped cautiously toward the bed, sitting wearily on the edge. Once again, my mind was blank of any consoling words or comforting guidance. Alice continued to tremble with silent sobs. I placed a shaking hand on her shoulder. The shudders lessened slightly. I ran my calloused palms down her shoulder blades in a slow rhythm.

After an immeasurable amount of time Alice pulled herself into a sitting position, her knees still tightly clamped to her chest. Wet tears smudged her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Jasper. You didn't need to see that." she murmured calmly, straightening out her sweatshirt and hastily wiping away the tears.

"Everyone needs someone to lean on once in awhile Alice."

"You don't. You just handle whatever it is that's going on in your house that you don't want me to see by yourself. You don't need me, we're just photography partners."

I just shook my head. Alice sighed. I raked a hand through my tangled hair.

"You take care of your grandmother alone?" I assumed quietly. Alice nodded.

"Pretty much. I mean, Bella's dad Charlie stops in on his lunch break to check on her when I'm in school and so do the neighbors. But I'm all she has. My mom died when I was born and my dad left. She thinks I'm my mother sometimes. Other times she doesn't recognize me at all." her voice was matter-of-fact.

"Oh." was my brilliant response once again. She smiled a tired smile.

"There you go again with that." she chuckled. I smiled back.

"What about your grandfather?"

Alice became very still, her eyes flickering with what I could only recognize as fear.

"He's dead too." she whispered. I raised my eyebrows.

"Your hiding something from me. There's something else that's upsetting you. Something big. Something you're scared of." I stated, my odd talent of sensing emotions surfacing again. She just nodded wearily.

"Yes there is."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you soon. But something needs to happen first."

"And what is that?"

"I have no idea. I just have a feeling." she said with a teasing wink.

"You're a strange girl." I mumbled.

"I suppose I am."

We stared at each other for a moment, that bizarre sense of understanding flowing freely.

A loud crash resounded from the other room. In a flash Alice was out the door and sprinting down the hallway. I leapt from the bed and followed her into the kitchen. The stove burner was on and the corner of a newspaper was draped across it quickly being engulfed by the flames. Alice stepped forward and swiftly turned off the burner, spraying the singed paper with the sink hose, her composure still firmly in place. She turned to her grandmother who was backed into the corner, holding the back of a chair for support. Another chair was lying on its side in front of her.

"Holly, what happened?" she asked, her eyes wide and childlike.

"Nothing grandma, its fine, just a little flame." Alice said reassuringly, helping her back into the living room. I could easily see the resemblance between them, their petite figures, their azure eyes.

"Jasper, can you lock the padlock? Someone must've left it undone when they came to check on her." Alice mumbled absently as she calmed her grandmother. I reached up and flipped it close, wondering vaguely if Alice had to get a chair to reach it with her height. I smiled softly as Alice sat gingerly on the couch, the cushions engulfing her tiny figure. She looked exhausted.

"I think you should get some sleep."

She nodded.

"Okay Jasper. I'll see you tomorrow."

I smiled at her, sipping out the front door. I began to close it softy.

"Oh, Jasper?"

I opened it again.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

I shut the door gently, heading back to my truck. I drove slowly back to my house, my head still full of thoughts of Alice.

**A/N: Please review and tell me what you think! :)**


	7. Stone Towers

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! I'm sorry it's been awhile since I last updated, life got a pretty hectic. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Jasper P.O.V**

**Tuesday-Lunchroom**

I walked into Forks high school cafeteria just like I have every other day for the last four years. But today was different. After picking up a tray of food in the crowded lunch line I began to make my way over to an empty table in the back where no one would bother me.

A flash of black in the corner of my eye halted my steps. I felt a feather light tap on my shoulder blade. Alice had bounced to my side, her smile jovial. The dark bags under her eyes had faded to a slight tinge. Her hair was in a messy array of dark spikes but the new hairstyle didn't make much of a difference in the huge gap between our heights.

"Sit with us Jasper?" she asked sweetly, tilting her head to the side in that endearing way of hers. I nodded numbly. She turned on her heel, bouncing back to Bella and Edward. I followed. She sat gracefully next to Bella, patting the seat beside her. I sat down, my eyes scanning the area from habit. Nerves made my hands tremble slightly. I felt pathetic but stiff as I sat ramrod straight.

Everyone was smiling.

"Hello Jasper." Edward stated quietly.

"Hey."

"Hi Jasper." Bella murmured.

"Hello."

Alice giggled, twining her thin fingers between mine under the table. The reassurance was still there, pulsing strongly. My shoulders loosened and I let out a ragged breath. I sighed in relief, grinning at Alice's friends.

"So Jasper, I noticed you've been spending quite a lot of time with Alice." Bella stated casually. I nodded.

"So….are you guys….?" she raised her eyebrows.

"We're just photography partners." I muttered sourly, my heart withering a little.

Alice mumbled something under her breath, tearing her hand from mine. I shot her a confused glance, feeling suddenly incomplete without her touch. She just looked straight ahead, her azure eyes blank and emotionless for the first time I could ever remember.

"Alice, what did I do?" my voice was wobbly. She glared at me for a moment before her eyes softened. She sighed.

"Nothing Jasper. I'm sorry." she murmured, timidly slipping her hand back into mine. She smiled slightly, but it looked forced. My face was still scrunched up in puzzlement. Bella and Edward were chatting with each other, pretending they didn't see our tense exchange. That was nice of them. But I couldn't help but notice the relief in Bella's eyes.

The two girls talked about college and classes and Charlie, but I noticed Alice cleverly kept the conversation focused on Bella, not giving away even a tiny sliver of information about her plans for after high school. It was exasperating. I wanted to know everything about her but I certainly didn't want to have to ask her myself. I didn't know how.

The bell dinged loudly, signaling the end of the period. I headed off to chemistry as Alice went to English.

* * *

The chemistry classroom smelled like burnt hair.

Again.

Mr. Frank was scrambling around like a chicken with his head chopped off trying to douse the small flame that had set Tyler Crowley's head ablaze. With one final cup of water, the fire was out. Mr. Frank panted heavily as he tried to catch his breath. His face was covered in a sweaty sheen and his glasses were hanging precariously on the tip of his nose. He dropped down onto his desk chair with his face in his hands.

"The fire is out children. Everything is fine." he wheezed."Tyler, go to the nurse. Everyone else, just do some bookwork. Silently." he finished in a frail voice.

I held back my laughter as Tyler picked locks of hair from the floor with a distraught look on his face. Fork's high school chemistry classroom was a dangerous place.

I turned to the right to find my lab partner Angela with her hand over her mouth, holding back her own giggles. I grinned at her. Angela and I had a sort of agreement. We didn't talk unless it was absolutely necessary, but we did share a peculiar bond. She covered for me when I spaced out in class and I shared my notes with her when she forgot her glasses, which was often. She was a sweet, shy girl and I was wayward, quiet boy. And somehow, we worked well together. I did textbook sheets until the bell rang.

* * *

"Do you want to just go home today Jasper?" Alice asked flatly as we strode out of the school building after last period. My chest constricted tightly. She was still upset over something.

"Uhh…I guess…I mean, if you want to." I stuttered uselessly. "But I like spending time with you." I confided, my voice gruff.

Suddenly a optimistic smile spread across her face. I let out a deep breath.

"Okey dokey then Jazz. I like spending time with you too." she grinned.

"Jazz?"

"Do you mind if I call you that? Jasper seems so…formal." she asked shyly.

"Of course I don't mind." I chuckled.

"Good!" she bounced toward my truck.

"Oh, I need your help with something." she informed me as I climbed into the driver's seat beside her.

"And what would that be?" I murmured.

"Well you see…I don't really have a favorite place in Forks to take a picture of. I haven't exactly gotten out much the past few years. My grandmother takes up most of my time outside of school. Not that I mind taking care of her!" she added hastily, her eyes wide.

"I know Alice. I can tell you love her." I assured her. She relaxed.

"Well, can you help me find a favorite place? Maybe show me some of yours?" she asked, looking like an eager puppy, her azure eyes energized. I nodded.

"Thank you. Charlie offered to stay with my grandma for the rest of the day, so we don't have to rush back." she informed me.

"Good." I smiled, really meaning it. My mind worked as I rummaged through my mental filing cabinet of favorite places. I had just about scoured through the whole town already in an attempt to avoid my house and the fights that were contained within it. Some of my best memories from the last few years were of coming across a beautiful or interesting place deep in the rainy forests of Forks.

"I think I know just the place. But it's a pretty long hike, are you up for it?" I asked, a smirk playing across my face. I had a feeling I knew what her answer would be and I was eager to find out if I was right.

"Of course I'm up for it. What do you think I am, some kind of delicate flower?" she huffed, the spark of a challenge flashing in her eyes.

"Not at all Alice. I'm sure you're rough and tough country gal." I chuckled, imitating my Uncle's southern drawl. I saw a reluctant smile spread across her face. She pressed her lips tightly together but a tiny giggle slipped through. She smacked my arm lightly.

"Can't resist the ole charm, eh?" I teased.

"Nope. You're irresistible, cowboy." she smiled playfully.

I started to grin back, but it faltered. I couldn't stop the desire that rose up in my chest. I wished I really was appealing to Alice in any way. I quickly stifled the thought. There wasn't even three months left before I'd be out of here. Alice bit her lip and let her eyes drop.

"So….where are we going?" she asked quietly.

"You'll see."

She nodded, not putting up a fight. She leaned her head against the window and looked out into the forest as I started up the truck and pulled out of the lot. I turned off the main highway of Forks and onto a gravel back road. The road got narrower as it tunneled farther into the green woods.

I found the small turnoff I was searching for and parked the truck, throwing open the door and hastily disentangling my long gangly legs from under the steering wheel. I hopped from the cab and dashed around the vehicle to open Alice's door for her before she could do it herself. She rolled her blue eyes, hopping off the seat gracefully.

"Well Jazz, that was…interesting." she smirked.

"You're so fast I wouldn't have made it otherwise." I panted, a little out of breath.

"Thank you." she smiled.

"Your welcome." I answered, surprised. I sort of expected her to accuse me of not thinking she's strong again. And that wasn't it at all, I had no doubt in the world Alice was strong. It was just the values Judy had installed in me over the years about manners and being a gentleman creeping out of the dusty corners of my mind.

"Shall we?" Alice asked, starting to walk towards the encroaching forest. I nodded, following her airy steps.

As we entered the tree's shady embrace I felt myself relax slightly. This land was like a home to me. I knew it better than I knew myself. I lead the way with my sure footed steps. It had taken me years to be able to walk through the woods without crashing around like an elephant, but Alice seemed to be a natural at it. I could barely hear her light steps on the squishy moss and shriveled leaves. Her strides still looked like dancing.

After a half an hour of soft silence I found the entrance. I stepped through the opening and pulled aside a branch for Alice.

We were standing in front of the tower.

It was made of uneven stones piled high into the sky, like a giant rock arm reaching toward the clouds. Alice stood with her eyes wide and her mouth slightly opened. Her awed expression slipped into an excited smile.

"Can we go to the top?" she whispered.

"Of course."

She grabbed my calloused hand and towed me into the circular stone tower. Alice scampered up the first few flights of stairs but as we neared the top she slowed down, tracing the worn stones with her fingers. She smiled at me before racing up the last few steps and into the open air.

I followed slowly behind, wanting to give her a moment to appreciate the view fully before I stepped outside next to her. She was leaning against the enclosing wall, facing away from me. I leaned against the cobbles and looked. The view was just as shocking as the first time I saw it. The tree tops were full and green and beautiful. I could just make out a group of houses on the far horizon. It felt like we were part of the air.

I snapped out of my trance to find Alice grinning like mad. She threw open her arms and spun in a fast circle, her laugh ringing like a melody.

"Thank you Jasper. I've never seen anything like this before." she murmured, turning back to the view. I smiled.

"I'll have to show it to you in the fall. The colors are amazing." I said without thinking. I wanted to bite my tongue off.

"Crap." I muttered to myself.

How could I keep forgetting I'd already be gone by autumn? What difference had the last few weeks made? The answer was easy. Alice.

I looked at her, her spiky black hair blowing lightly in the April breeze, her tender smile as she soaked in the world's beauty. She was beautiful. Beautiful and smart and caring and….very strange. I liked her. She was my friend. But I was going to leave her. My throat became thick as I realized what I needed to do. Distance myself from her before this got any further. She deserved someone better. I could only speak with her when it involved the project. Nothing more.

"Alice, it's going to get dark soon. Do you want to head home?" I asked, my voice coarse. She turned to me, her azure eyes suspicious.

"Okay Jasper."

We walked back down and through the forest to my old truck. I dropped Alice off at home.

The expression on her face as she stepped out of the truck was etched in my mind. It was almost like she knew what was going to happen, but had accepted it and was waiting for something else to start. I shook my head as I pulled into the driveway.

I was being stupid. I kind of liked it better when I barely thought at all instead of now where my thoughts seemed to be mugging me and trying to take my wallet. Even that analogy is stupid. I sighed, slipping my key in my pocket and heading toward my room.

The house was empty. Strange. I brushed it off and fell into my bed, drifting off to sleep with thoughts of Alice and photography fluttering through my head against my will.

**A/N: So, there it is. Chapter 7. There's a stone tower like that near where I live, it's soooooo beautiful, and it's a place that seems magical, which I think suits Alice and Jasper's relationship well. :)**


	8. Space

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**The drama is getting turned up to turbo for this chapter! I hope you'll hold on for the ride, things will get better. :)**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**Wednesday- last period **

The photography classroom was silent except for the soft rustle of brushes as everyone practiced spot toning on the last project's photos. Alice had shared hers with me and, as always, she was patient and gentle as she explained the delicate process in soft whispers. My hand shook as I struggled to keep the brush steady, anxious that I would screw up the beautiful photos laid out before me.

There were pictures of the forest around the school grounds as well as pictures of her cousin and Edward. The one I was cautiously working on was of Bella standing timidly beside a tray of spilled food in the cafeteria, her eyes wide and her hands clasped tightly in front of her. I could imagine the crimson blush that would be splashed across her cheeks if the photo was in color.

I longed to ask Alice about the incident that led up to this, but that wouldn't help my objective of not becoming any more attached to her. I sighed, looking down at the picture, the areas of black and white along with all of the shades of gray. I touched the tip of the brush delicately to the tiny dust spot, my hand still trembling.

Alice's harmonious laugh tinkled in my ear.

"Relax Jasper, it's not brain surgery. I won't be upset if you don't do it perfectly, it's your first try." she giggled, bumping her thin shoulder lightly into mine. I smiled back weakly.

"I know." I answered. She bit her lip and nodded, turning back to her work.

I sort of hoped if I was boring and empty and tried to void myself of emotions she would eventually get tired of me and break off our friendship herself. I knew that was selfish and mean, but I couldn't help it. It felt like it would literally kill me to hurt her in anyway. It would drive a steak through my heart.

"Stop being so pathetic." I mumbled to myself, too low for anyone to hear. I just about jumped ten feet out of my seat when the bell rang loudly through the room. Alice giggled and I held back my chuckle, handing her pictures back.

"Alice, I have something to do today." I lied, clenching my teeth together in frustration. I knew we were much farther along in the project than everyone else, but I wanted to spend every minute with her.

"Oh. Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then." she murmured. I nodded.

"See ya." I mumbled and walked out to my truck.

And so the torture begins.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

The rest of the week was hell.

So was the next.

I hated the wounded look on Alice's face every time I made up lame fake excuses to why I couldn't hang out after school. But behind the hurt looks was something else. There was anticipation buried deep in her eyes. She was waiting for something.

"Jazz!" she called across the parking lot, her sneakers slapping the gravel as she hurried over to me. Even in her oversized sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to keep out the wet drizzle of rain falling from the sky, she was still graceful.

"Alice?" I asked emotionlessly. She glared at me, her azure eyes ignited.

"I know exactly what your doing. You're avoiding me… I just don't know why." she accused, her glower turning into a wide eyed stare. I didn't answer.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked quietly, the all-knowing wisdom slipping from her eyes for a brief moment. For the first time since that year in middle school where her childish joy was traded for mature knowledge, she looked unsure and shaken.

I clenched my fists and brought them down roughly on the back of my pickup. Apparently It wasn't enough for me to screw up my own life, now I'm starting to screw up Alice's too.

"No Alice, no. You didn't do anything. It's my fault. It's always my fault." I muttered through clenched teeth.

"You're a great person, but I can't be you friend. I'm….leaving soon. I can't become close to you and then just ditch you to go across the country. You deserve a better friend then that." I finished, surprised I actually spoke all of those words without putting hours of thought into them. She nodded.

"I figured it was something like that. But Jasper, we don't have to think about that now. Just be my friend today and like I told you before, the future has a way of working itself out. Don't try to interfere." she warned me, the wisdom firmly back in place in her ageless eyes.

For a moment I almost gave in. I almost nodded and told myself I'd do whatever I could now and deal with the pain later. But I didn't. Because that's a big part of the reason I was so messed up now.

"I'm sorry Alice. I can't be your friend. We can do the project and that's it." I said, my voice as hollow and stony as the tower we had our last happy moments in.

"Alright Jasper. But I don't think this is going to end here." she murmured.

"And why do you think that?"

"I just have a feeling."

And then she walked away. I swallowed thickly, climbing into my truck. My heart was clenching painfully as I drove home and went in the house.

I threw open the refrigerator door and grabbed a beer. I fumbled with the clasp until it flicked up, gulping the smooth liquid down. The familiar taste made my shoulders relax and I tossed the can in the sink, grabbing another. I drank that one down too.

I had learned it from my mother.

I had learned it from my stepfather.

I had even learned it from Rose.

When you have a problem, drink to cover it up. It was what I knew. By the fifth beer my mind was beginning to blur around the edges. I stumbled into the living room, dropping onto the couch. My beer sloshed out of the can and onto the cushion, adding to the collage of other alcohol stains varying from deep red wine to the brownish tinge of rum.

"Rose, why did you leave me?" I asked to no one in particular, my words slurred.

"Two years. Two years, Rose, and we could've left together. But nooooo, you just had to run of with your big, buff boyfriend. What's wrong with wanting to hold onto one promise? Huh? HE WANTED ME TO GRADUATE FROM HERE!" I screamed at the wall, throwing a pillow. It collided with a lamp which fell onto the floor with a loud clatter.

"Great, I can't even do anything right when I'm drunk." I mumbled to myself, my words mushy.

"Mom why did you have to marry him? I could've helped you through the bad years. I could've stopped you from drinking. I was here! ROSE AND I WERE BOTH HERE! YOU STILL HAD US!" I screamed, tears running down my face. My mind was foggy as I drank down another beer.

"Maybe we would've had some good…some good…..memories. Maybe I wouldn't want to escape this town like it's a disease. Maybe I could stay with Alice and be a good friend and not feel like a prisoner. Maybe I wouldn't be so screwed up!" I shouted, my hoarse voice reverberating thought the empty house. I staggered into the kitchen and set the empty can in the sink.

Headlights flashed through the window as a truck pulled up. The tiny sliver of my mind that was still rational warned me I should've gone out into the woods like I usually do to stop from doing something stupid. The other part was getting ready for a boxing match. My step dad and mom stumbled into the house, already looking a little buzzed. They must've stopped at the bar.

"You. You need to leave." I said to my stepfather, my voice garbled, as I stepped out of the kitchen.

"You think you have the right to talk to me like that boy?" he asked, his brown eyes mocking. I stepped up to him, my chest stuck out as I basked in my drunken swagger.

"You need to stop taking advantage of us." I slurred. He shook his head.

"Boy, you're lucky I'm not too drunk right now, or I would bust your teeth in. I'm going to give you ten seconds to get out of here or I'm calling the cops." his voice was even and scornful.

"I don't care! Call em'!" I shouted cockily.

"Jasper, he's serious. Get out of here!" my mom's panicked voice pierced through the swagger.

"Why don't you ever stand up for me Ma?" I asked quietly, feeling deflated.

"Just get out Jasper." was her answer. She opened the door and glared at me coldly. I stepped into the doorway and felt her frail hands on my back as she pushed me out onto the porch. The door slammed loudly.

I stumbled down the steps and into the woods, walking without really knowing where the hell I was going. The sky was dark. The alcohol flowing through my veins made my feet heavy and my limbs clumsy. It made the shadows seem alive.

It was only when I emerged from the forest into Alice's back yard that I knew what I had been searching for. The haze that tinted my mind followed me as I climbed her porch steps. I sat on the top step, staring up at the moon. How many hours had passed since that first beer? I didn't know. The night was eerily quiet and I wished it was summer, so that I would at least have the cricket's harmonies to keep me company.

I leaned clumsily against the porch railing, feeling safe. I wanted to howl at the moon, but the coherent sliver of my brain warned me Alice would find me out here if I did. I stood slowly and started to leave, feeling pathetic. Alice didn't need a drunk lunatic sitting on her front porch. I tripped down the stairs and hurtled into a huge potted plant. The crash resounded in my ears.

"Grandma? Grandma, are you alright?" Alice's anxious voice called from inside the house.

"Crap." I growled under my breath, trying to stand up.

Silence flooded the house. I heard the front door creak open.

"Hello?" her timid voice murmured from the top of the steps. I heard feather light footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Oh my goodness, Jasper, is that you?" she whispered.

"Go away Alice. Don't see me like this." I slurred, trying to stand up again and only managing to stumble into the lattice fencing.

"Stupid boy." she muttered. I felt a cool hand slip around my wrist.

"Come on. But be quiet." she whispered, pulling my arm roughly. I heaved myself off the ground, my blue jeans caked with spring mud. She ushered me inside, dragging me into the bathroom. She pushed me gently down onto a chair angled in the corner.

"Oh dear. Look at you." she fussed, shaking her head.

Her hair was mussed as if she'd just gotten out of bed. Through my murky brain I felt guilt and shame. I had woken her up. I'm an asshole.

I watched her take out a first aid kit from a cabinet under the sink, heaving it up onto the counter. Her long blue nightgown swished around her ankles. She took out a cloth and tipped a bottle of something onto it, her face scrunched in concentration.

"This will sting." she stated evenly as she dabbed my forehead with the cloth.

"Ouch." I hissed. When had those cuts gotten there?

"That's what you get for trudging through the woods in the middle of the night. Stupid boy." she scolded, throwing away the blood stained rag and taking out a new one.

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice." I mumbled.

"That's what happens when you're drunker than a skunk. You don't notice the pain until you wake up the next day, bleeding in a ditch or in the middle of the woods with a broken leg." she muttered.

"I'm sorry Alice." I said again. It was the only thing I could think of. She sighed.

"Alice, I…" she cut me off by placing her small hand over my mouth.

"Don't talk to me now Jasper. You'll say something you regret. We'll talk when you're sober." she ordered. I just leaned back on the chair and closed my eyes. Alice continued to dab at the cuts and scratches, mumbling things under her breath. I let the numbness take over.

"There. That's better." she stated with a satisfied nod.

"I'll be right back. Stay here." she ordered firmly. I kept my head lolled back and my eyes shut until I heard her walk back in.

"Put these on." she commanded, handing me a folded pile of clothes. She stepped outside and closed the door. I wrestled with the too-small sweatpants and t-shirt until I was sure I had all of my limbs through the right holes. A light knock was at the door.

"Done?"

"Yeah."

She came in and gathered up my muddy, torn clothes, tossing them in a basket. She led me into her bedroom.

"You can sleep here tonight." she stated.

"Alice…I don't want to… take your bed…..what about the couch?" I mumbled.

"Don't you think my grandmother would be a little frightened to walk out and find a strange man on the couch? She doesn't even know who _I_ am most day." she muttered coldly.

"Sorry Alice." I mumbled again.

"Don't worry about it. Just go to bed. We'll talk in the morning." she said stiffly, stepping out and closing the door. It creaked open again.

"Oh, and Jasper?" she whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"Sleep well." her tender voice washed over me. The door shut softly.

"You too Alice." I murmured to the empty room. I fell asleep.

**A/N: I'm really nervous about this chapter for some reason, so if you get chance, please tell me what you think of it. :)**


	9. Gemstone

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**Jasper P.O.V.**

I heard humming.

It was soft and sweet and tender and it reminded me of something. I just couldn't remember what that something was exactly. So I didn't try to figure it out, I just let it flutter through my mind, light and airy. It was musical like summer nights and fluffy clouds. Peaceful. I sighed contentedly.

The humming stopped.

"Jasper?" a hesitant voice asked. _Who's that? _My eyes fluttered open. I only had time to register the photograph coated ceiling before the headache settled in.

"Crap." I groaned, covering my eyes with my large, calloused hands to keep the sunlight out. It was streaming in from the window, spilling directly onto the bed. I heard a soft giggle from the doorway.

"Hangover?" an amused voice asked. I dropped my hands from my face, staring at Alice with startled eyes. She was standing in the doorway in a light blue nightgown that somehow looked vaguely familiar. That didn't make any sense.

"Alice?" I asked slowly, rubbing my eyes with my knuckles.

"Am I dreaming?" I mumbled. She shook her head.

"Nope."

"I see." I answered lamely. She rolled her eyes.

"What do you remember?"

I searched my foggy brain, trying to ignore the pounding headache. I ran my hands down my face and sighed.

"Oh. Almost forgot." Alice murmured to herself, dancing over and placing two small pills in my palm.

"Aspirin." she stated, walking back into the kitchen. I just stared at the doorway like an idiot until she came back with a tall glass of water. She handed it to me and I gulped it down, my throat feeling like sandpaper. I swallowed the pills.

"Okay, now, what do you remember?" she asked patiently, sitting daintily on the edge of the bed.

"Hmmm. I remember….coming home after school and drinking a beer. Or two. Well, probably a lot more." I admitted, still trying to figure out how the hell I managed to wake up at Alice's house. She nodded, but her eyes seemed to tighten slightly.

"Uh….I remember….tripping into a plant?" I muttered, furrowing my eyebrows. Uh-oh. Anything that involves crashing into vegetation can't be good. I swallowed nervously.

"And…umm…the moon was bright. I think there was something involving a first aid kit…" I trailed off, looking back to Alice for the first time. Her azure eyes were gentle. She nodded.

"Go on."

My eyes flickered to a pile of mud caked clothes stuffed in a basket in the corner of the room. It all came flooding back.

"Alice." I moaned, grabbing fistfuls of my hair and taking a deep breath.

"I didn't want you to see me like that. I was trying to protect you from that kind of crap." I growled.

"Jasper, I don't need to be protected. I'm a big girl. I can make my own decisions." she stated flatly.

"Look at me Jasper." she ordered. I glanced up. Her face was resolute.

"You might think that you can be all high and mighty, trying to "save me from regretting something later", but guess what, that's not how life goes. We all regret things Jasper. Now, I'm going to tell you this _one _last time. Do not meddle with the future. It will work itself out just fine without your help. It may not be how you want it, but it will happen anyway. I want to be your friend. I don't give a hoot if you think your not good enough or any of that other stuff you tried to pull. If you want to be my friend, tell me right now." she finished in a steadfast voice. I stared at her.

"But I'm leaving in…well, I guess it's in about two months now." I whispered pathetically. She didn't move from her stance, thin arms crossed tightly across her chest and hip jutting out.

"I want to be your friend, Alice." I said in a small voice. A grin spread across her face and I felt my lips mirror hers.

"Now, was that so bad?" she teased. I shook my head and chuckled. Giving in sure is easy. Something occurred to be belatedly.

"Wait, Alice, isn't it a school day?" I asked, confused.

"Yes. But I think we need a day off, don't you?" she asked with a playful wink.

"I like your thinking." I grinned. She smiled back easily but then became stiff.

"We have things to discuss though." she added quietly.

"I know."

She nodded, a quick bob of her head, before raking a hand through her short dark locks.

"So…I'm going to make breakfast. Are eggs alright?"

"Of course Alice." I murmured. I loved eggs. Not to mention the fact that I would never object to anything she wanted after the hell I put her through last night.

"Alright, cowboy. The bathroom is right there if you need it." she motioned down the hall.

"Is your headache getting any better?"

"Yes. Thank you." I smiled.

She smiled back before disappearing around the corner, the long blue nightgown trailing behind her. I heaved myself off the bed, hastily straightening out the flower print quilt. I sighed, scratching my neck and hobbling into the bathroom.

My refection in the mirror caught me off guard. I'd forgotten about the cuts. Deep scratches lined my forehead and cheeks and intermingled with dark bruises. I saw Alice had left a tube of Neosporin on the counter, and I dabbed at the slices hesitantly. I didn't deserve Alice's hospitality. She was too nice to me.

There wasn't anything I could do to fix the dark bags under my eyes, but I rinsed my mouth out and washed my face, trying to get rid of all trances of alcohol. The scent seemed to be soaked into my skin, but I knew I was just imagining things.

I walked slowly into the kitchen. The smell of toast and eggs permeated the air. Alice was bouncing around the small room, sprinkling different spices in the frying pan. She looked like a pixie, twirling and humming. I finally placed the noise from earlier. It was Alice's voice.

"Where's your grandmother?" I asked.

"Umm….she's still sleeping. I checked on her a minute ago." she murmured absently, setting the table.

"Oh."

The corners of her lips turned up at my trademark response. I sat down at the table as she slid into her seat gracefully.

"This looks amazing Alice." I told her truthfully. She grinned smugly.

"Thank you."

We ate in a quiet silence. I listened to the moans and groans of the old cottage, the water running through the pipes and the wind whistling outside. When we finished Alice cleared the plates and set them in the sink, leaning her tiny figure against the counter.

"Hey Jazz, guess what." she said with a playful smirk.

"What?"

"It's raining."

"I would've never guessed. I mean, it isn't as if it rains every other day. No, it's totally unexpected!" I played along. Alice grinned.

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere." she informed me. I stared out the window for a moment, then grimaced.

"Alice, tell me truthfully, how bad was I last night? I don't remember the details." I murmured. She looked down at her clasped hands, her eyes sad.

"You seemed kinda disoriented, you know? I'm surprised you didn't throw up to be honest." she added.

"Unfortunately, I'm pretty used to alcohol being in my system by now. I don't puke anymore." I murmured, ashamed. This made Alice even more distraught.

"You're hurting yourself by doing that Jasper. You'll end up killing yourself one day." she stated quietly, the wisdom practically radiating off of her.

"I know."

"So why do you do it?"

"So I don't have to feel. But it sort of backfired last time. It made everything worse."

"What do you think made the difference?" she asked gently.

"You." I answered simply. Her eyes widened. She looked startled, her calm, wise demeanor slipping for the first time since the conversation started.

"What do you mean?"

"I just kept thinking how disappointed you'd be in me for doing it. And instead of numbing the yearning to spend time with you, it just amplified it. I don't know why. I miss Rose all the time, and the alcohol has never made it worse." I finished, furrowing my eyebrows. Alice bit her lip.

"Well, I don't know the answer to that." she stated simply. "But I know that you need to stop drinking."

"Yeah. It'll be hard though." I mumbled.

"You quit smoking. This is similar."

"How did you know I smoked?" I asked, startled.

"Last week you'd always slip that lighter out of your pocket when you were frustrated. I assumed that was because you were used to being able to light up a cigarette when you were irritated." she said.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. It almost seems like your psychic sometimes, though." I said with a weak chuckle.

"I don't need to be psychic to notice things, Jasper. I just observe." she smiled.

"So what do you want to do?" she asked sweetly.

"Can I look at the pictures in your room?" I asked, eager to know a little more about her. She nodded. We walked slowly to her room and she sank gracefully onto her bed, stretching out and yawning.

"I'm sorry Alice. I probably didn't let you get much sleep last night." I muttered.

"I was worried about you." she said in a small voice, wrapping her thin arms around her knees. I stepped over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. The reassurance that flowed smoothly didn't seem hindered by the events that had happened. She smiled slightly.

"The pictures on these two walls and the ceiling were my mother's. She was a great photographer." she stated solemnly.

"It's all I have left of her."

I nodded, skipping over those. I didn't want to invade her privacy _that_ much.

"Are you sure it's alright if I look at your pictures?"

"Yes." she rolled her eyes.

I looked at the wall. It was a collage of photos of Bella, Edward, Charlie, her grandmother, a few kids from school, and numerous places that were unfamiliar to me. There was also one worn picture sticking out from behind the more recent ones. It was of an old man. I slipped it out and looked at it more closely.

"Who's this?" I asked quietly.

"My grandfather." she stated, a hint of fear in her eyes once again. She quickly hid it.

"Oh." I slid the photograph back into place and moved over to a shelf with little trinkets scattered on it. There was a tarnished jewelry box, a small bird's nest, a few old coins, a collection of rocks, and a miniature brush. I picked up the brush, handling it carefully.

"That was what I used to brush my cat." Alice said, nostalgia in her melodious voice.

"The big fluffy brown one you used to carry though town?" I asked curiously. She nodded.

"Her name was Jasmine. She would always just lay limp in my arms, never struggling. She was so sweet" she reminisced, a soft smile on her elfin face. I set the brush down gently, running my calloused fingers lightly over the objects.

"Look in the jewelry box." Alice murmured. I flipped open the latch and peered into it. A single necklace was inside. I slipped my fingers around the chain and lifted it carefully, turning to Alice. She giggled.

"What's so funny?" I asked playfully. She started to laugh harder.

"Look at the gem." she grinned. I set the gem in my palm. It was a dark orange-red color with flecks of something speckling it.

"What's so funny about it?" I asked, Alice's laughter rubbing off on me despite the fact I had no idea what was so humorous. She bit her lip, holding back giggles.

"You don't know what kind of stone it is?"

"No."

"It's Jasper!" she chortled, falling forward on the bed and pressing her face into the quilt, silent laughter shaking her small body.

I just stared at her for a few seconds, setting the necklace down. She pulled the quilt over her head and peeked her eyes out from behind it. I started to laugh along with her. It must've been the combination of lack of sleep and the stress we were under that made it seem like the funniest thing in the world.

Pretty soon I was leaning against the wall, laughter bubbling from my chest full force. Alice's giggles had sent her tumbling off the bed, and she was curled in the corner, her laughter still filling the small room.

After a few minutes we calmed down, Alice climbing back onto the bed and taking a deep breath.

"It is a pretty funny coincidence. The only piece of jewelry I own is a Jasper gemstone." she grinned. I nodded in agreement, flopping down on the bed beside her.

"I haven't laughed that much since I was eight years old." I chuckled, turning to Alice.

"You know, there's something I've wanted to ask you, if it's not too personal." I murmured.

"And what would that be?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Why did you cut your hair? The answer you gave me before was pretty vague."

She looked surprised.

"Oh. Well, the day that happened my grandma was having a particularly hard time, and I was so…..frustrated…that there was absolutely nothing in my power that I could do to help her. So I wanted to be in control of something, and the length of my hair was the first thing I thought of." she said sheepishly.

"Oh."

She smiled, leaning into my shoulder. I hesitantly wrapped my arm around her, surprised at how tiny she really was.

"Jasper?" she mumbled tiredly.

"Hmmm?"

"If I go to sleep, will you promise you won't leave?" she murmured.

"Yes Alice. I'll stay as long as you want." I promised impulsively.

I mentally slapped myself. I would be leaving her in the near future, what a cruel promise to make.

"Good." she mumbled, slipping into a soft sleep, leaving me alone with my poisonous thoughts.

I sighed, holding her carefully in my lanky arms and taking her advice. I would let the future work itself out. For now.

**A/N: Hello! So, this chapter was pretty much meant to bring Alice and Jasper closer and get some things out into the open. The drama will pick back up pretty soon though. I hope you enjoyed reading it, and, if you get a chance, I would love to hear what you thought. :)**


	10. Scars

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, they really do keep me motivated to write. Plus they just make me really happy. :) And, also, I've been seriously slacking on review replies, so from now on I will reply to every review, even if it's just a simple 'thank you' so you know I really do appreciate the feedback and advice. On with the chapter!**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

"Alice." I whispered, shaking her shoulder gently.

"Alice, wake up."

"What?" she asked groggily, her eyes fluttering open.

"I think your grandmother is awake. I hear something" I whispered.

"Oh. Oh!" she exclaimed, sitting up quickly and swinging her legs off the side of the small bed. She hopped up gracefully, making for the door, before doubling back towards me. She wrapped her thin arms around me, squeezing tightly.

"Thanks for staying." she murmured in my ear before dancing out of the room and down the hall. I followed quietly, slumping down on the living room couch.

The house was silent for a moment before I heard Alice's squeal of joy echo through the house. She came scampering down the hall, sliding on her sock covered feet past the couch. She hastily ran back to where I was standing.

"Come on Jazz." she squeaked, grabbing my hand and towing me down the hallway.

"What is it?"

"My grandma is having a good day. She remembers me. I want to introduce you to her before she slips back under." she explained in a rush, her excited words blending together. I grinned, happy to see Alice so free of the restraints of her stress and responsibilities for a moment. She skidded into the room on her sock clad feet, dragging me along. Willingly, of course.

Her grandmother was sitting on the bed, the many layers of quilts swallowing up her tiny frame. The childlike bewilderment was nearly gone from her aged eyes, replaced by the same knowing wisdom that filled Alice's.

"Hello there." she said pleasantly to me as Alice scurried up onto the bed beside her, wrapping her in a tender hug. She stroked Alice's hair gently.

"Why did you cut your beautiful hair, dear?" she asked sadly.

"Oh, it's the style now." she lied shakily. I assumed she didn't want her grandmother to know how much stress this was putting her under.

"Hmmm." was the only reply her grandmother gave. Alice bit her lip.

"This is Jasper, my friend." Alice stated proudly.

"Hello Jasper. What a nice, old-fashioned name. I used to have a friend named Jasper back in the fifties. I think." she murmured uncertainly.

Alice seemed to deflate slightly, curling closer to the old woman. Her grandmother reached up with a shaky, wrinkled hand and patted Alice's face reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'm still here darling. For a little while at least. I need to talk to you." she stated stubbornly. Alice nodded.

"Now look here girl. I'm getting worse. Pretty soon I won't even have brief moments like these where I'm aware of everything. I need to you to promise me something." she said, her voice slightly rasping.

"Anything grandma. What do you need?" she asked, eager to be of any help she could.

"If I get too bad, put me in a nursing home. They'll take care of me. I can't burden you with this big of a responsibility any longer. You're a seventeen year old girl, for goodness sakes. She should be out going to parties, with your friends." she declared in a worn voice. Alice shook her head fiercely.

"No. I'm not doing that to you. You'd hate it." Alice vowed.

"Darling, I don't even know what I like or dislike most of the time." she stated sadly.

"I'm staying with you for as long as you need it. I get a check every week because of Ma's passing away and dad's child support. I can keep up with the bills, and we don't eat much. And besides, you know I don't party. I'm not into that kind of stuff." she finished. Her grandmother sighed.

"You always were stubborn little girl, weren't you?" she asked quietly to herself. Alice nodded. I smiled slightly, leaning against the doorway.

"Well, I'll leave the decision up to you, I suppose. You're a smart young woman. But I want to do a little something for you. Under my bed, there's a box. I have some extra money saved up from a long time ago. Take the money and go with Bella and your new friend here to buy a pretty dress. Wear it on your first date, whoever it might be with. It will be my last gift to you. If I can't be there for you to tell me about it, at least you have a reminder." she smiled softly. Alice looked gloomy. The corners of her lips turned up slightly, and she hugged the old woman tighter.

"I love you grandma."

"I love you too dear. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Same here grandma. Same here." Alice mumbled.

I slipped silently out of the room to give them a moment of privacy. I realized before how much her grandmother needed her, but I never grasped how much Alice needed her grandmother also. I waited on the couch for a few minutes until Alice came wandering out. She looked a little lost.

"She said she thought she felt herself slipping back under and that she didn't want me to see that." she explained a moment before I asked. I could almost swear she really was psychic sometimes.

"Oh."

She nodded.

"Jasper?"

"Hmmm?"

"Which pictures do we have left to take?"

"Uhhh…I have to find a friend to take a picture of, we both have to take a picture of a family member, and….something beautiful." I murmured.

"I already took one of a family member. Bella. Edward was the friend picture." she reminded me softly.

"Oh yeah." I mumbled. She sat down on the couch beside me, staring straight ahead. Her eyes were emotionless.

"Well, I suppose I should get dressed." she stated, standing up swiftly.

"Yeah. Me too." I mumbled. "Should I stop back over when I'm done?" I asked hesitantly.

"I'd like that." she smiled, slipping into the hallway.

I walked outside, only to remember I didn't have my truck with me. Alice didn't have a car either and there was no way I was calling my parents. I sighed, starting my trek down the roads encased with green. Spring was definitely here to stay. The sun was warm and comforting and it shined an early afternoon glow. The clouds were light and fluffy, for once free of the watery burden they carried.

About a half an hour later I made it home. No one was there. I got dressed and took a shower, cleaning up the empty and broken bottles and cans from the other night.

A tiny clear sliver pierced the hard skin of my palm. I winced, quickly ripping out the tiny fragment. Alice's words replayed in my head: "Y_ou're hurting yourself by doing that Jasper. You'll end up killing yourself one day." _Little did she know that I already had a close call.

A very close call.

******Flashback*******

_Ping. Ping. Ping._

The rain leaked through the barn's roof and into the metal bucket set on the hay coated floorboards. It pinged metallically. The typical drizzle of Forks continued with no sign of stopping soon.

A boy of sixteen years old with a shaggy blonde mop of hair and deep blue eyes sat leaning against the rotted wall of the barn, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He wore his usual outfit of a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans, along with his beaten up work boots. His skin was tanned and his muscles were sturdy from his summer job at the logging company.

Girls though he was good looking, or at least that was what they told him. But he couldn't hold a conversation so they all gave up on him eventually. He was so hardened from his experiences and they were still so innocent.

He drummed his fingers against his jean covered thigh, his head lolled back. Empty beer bottles of all shapes and sizes lay strewn around him, looking like a glass graveyard. Rosalie had left less than a year ago, that wound was still new on his heart.

He stumbled to his feet unsteadily, hobbling across the barn. His calloused palms trailed along the splintered walls as he walked in a slow daze, his mind muddled. He climbed up a rickety staircase and past the barn's rafters. Old, broken furniture lay scattered around the empty room.

Jasper stopped in front of a mirror. Long, spidery cracks impaired his blurry reflection. He glared at the young man in the mirror, his eyes bloodshot and his mouth pulled down into an ugly grimace.

"What are you doing?" he asked the reflection.

"You're worthless. Hanging around this crappy little town, and for what? Because of a promise you made eight years ago. Pathetic." he spat, leaning unsteadily against the wall.

He glowered at the refection as it seemed to mock him, looking back angrily. He bent down and grabbed a splintered piece of chair leg, smashing it into the mirror with the entirety of his drunken force.

"There." he slurred, letting the wooden fragment roll off his palm. The glass lay shattered on the floor.

He threw the rest of the broken chair at the shattered pieces, losing his balance. He crashed to the floor.

The tiny glass shards tore into his arms and chest, ripping open tiny wounds. Through his drunken stupor he felt the pain and heard the groaning of the rotted floor beneath him. He panicked, thrashing as he tried to get to his feet. The shards worked themselves deeper and cut long gashes across his torso and arms.

He moaned as the barn shook beneath him. The floor slowly gave way and he plummeted down though the splintered wood, landing twisted on the ground.

His screams went unheard and he fell unconscious on the thin layer of hay, the rain dripping around him. In the morning the couple that owned the land the barn rested on found him there, blood soaking his white shirt, turning it crimson. His mom and stepfather visited him in the hospital for a few minutes, still bickering and still drunk.

The glass was gone, but the shards would leave their mark in the form of long scars.

That was the day Jasper Whitlock swore he would leave Forks the moment he graduated. And that he would never step foot there again.

*******End flashback******

I shook my head back and forth quickly, trying to shake loose the venomous memory.

I sighed, grabbing a jacket before I stepped onto the porch since it had started to drizzle once again. I started up my truck and drove, perhaps a little too eagerly, back to Alice's house.

She was waiting on the porch with her short locks of black hair held securely with bobby pins. She wore a long flowery skirt and a yellow pastel sweater, the gossamer materials hanging loosely on her tiny frame.

I supposed it was better that way. The musical tones of her voice were enough to distract me form what she was saying, I didn't need to be further preoccupied by the subtle curves of her body showing through her usual jeans and t-shirt. She drove me crazy in every way.

I sighed to myself, turning the truck off and slipping the key into my back pocket. I needed to stop getting so involved. It wouldn't lead to anything good. As I climbed out of the truck Alice danced over to me, her smile bright and welcoming.

"Let's go for a walk?" she suggested.

"Whatever you please, fortuneteller." I grinned. Her smile faltered, turning into a look of wide-eyed fear.

"What?" she asked warily.

"I was just referring to the way your clothes make you look like one of those fortunetellers at the fairs." I explained hastily, hoping I didn't offend her somehow. She relaxed instantly, her shoulders slumping.

"Oh. Okay." she mumbled. I nodded, concerned. She told me with her eyes she didn't want to talk about it, so we began walking down the back road.

"One of the neighbors is staying with my grandma." Alice murmured.

"Oh."

She smiled slightly.

We walked in silence for a moment before she gently slipped her hand into mine. I pulled her closer until she was resting against my side.

We walked for hours without talking, letting everything flow freely. I'd never felt so connected to another human being in my entire life. It was like I was an open book and so was Alice. We didn't need to speak, the words were already there, unspoken but exposed.

And then darkness began to fall and we ended up back at her house, the vines casting shadows on the walls in the dim lighting. We said a brief goodnight and then I was alone.

As I drove back to my house one thing became clear. I was getting in too deep. Way too deep. If I didn't stop soon I wouldn't be able to.

I walked up the porch steps and opened the door, preparing myself for another night of fighting.

Suddenly the two months left until graduation didn't seem like a very long time at all.

And that scared me.

**A/N: Hi! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review if ya get a chance. :)**


	11. Progression

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, they were lovely. You guys rock. So, chapter eleven. This chapter is a prime example of how sappy and romantic my writing can be at times. It is also a really important chapter, so I'm a little nervous again. Well, I hope you like it! ;)**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**Saturday**

"Jasper, that's hideous!" Alice giggled as I held up a dress for her to make an assessment on.

"What's wrong with it? It's…uh…pink and….nice?" I stumbled, trying to find the words to describe the piece of fabric I had clenched in my sweaty fist. Shopping made me nervous. But Alice had asked me to come so….I went. Judy hadn't had any problem with letting me off work an hour early, practically shoving me out the door with a knowing smile when I told her where I'd be going.

"Yeah, I gotta agree with Alice on this one." Bella giggled.

"Even I have to admit this one frightens me a little." I chuckled, hanging the dress back up and taking a step way from the lacy contraption.

"You? The tough, manly, robust Jasper Whitlock, scared of a frilly pink dress?" Alice gasped playfully. Bella laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Don't let him fool you Al. I remember in sixth grade seeing a certain Jasper Whitlock running for his life from a little girl with pigtails." Bella teased.

"Lauren? Oh, she had it bad for you Jazz. And I sat next to her in math and had to hear all about how 'dreamy' your eyes were and your 'absolutely amazing' physique." Alice giggled.

The girls had some more fun at my expense for a few minutes before Alice grew quiet.

I automatically sensed something was bothering her, like I had a sixth sense. Oh wonderful, I'm turning into fricken Spiderman or something.

"Alice?" I asked quietly, taking her hand in mine. Bella rested her wide, concerned eyes on Alice's face.

"What's wrong Al?" she murmured. Alice smiled slightly.

"Nothing, I was just remembering how jealous that used to make me." she confided quietly.

"What?" I asked, a little confused.

"How she had the confidence to just chase after you like that. I always wanted to." she murmured shyly. My eyes widened and my heart sped up.

"I suppose it helped a little that you always pushed her away. But then I realized you pushed everyone else away too. Why would I be any different? How could I ever compare to those beautiful, interesting, smart girls? I'm just Alice." she mumbled sadly.

"You are all of those things." I stated simply. She looked up at me, startled.

"Being 'just Alice' is a wonderful thing. You're wonderful, Al." Bella smiled.

I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"How about if we talk about this stuff later, if you want, of course. This day is supposed to be about you having fun." I whispered softly.

She nodded, squeezing my hand briefly before letting go and dancing over to another clothing rack. She searched through the clearance rack before Bella grabbed her hand and dragged her away.

"Alice, your grandmother gave you that money to indulge yourself. Not spend ten bucks on something off the clearance rack. Besides, they're all long-sleeved dresses from the winter. You'll be sweating your ass off." Bella said.

"What makes you think my first date will be this spring or summer?" Alice asked apprehensively. "And also, since when do you curse?"

"You know your grandmother better than I do, and even I know that crazy woman always has some hidden reason behind her cryptic messages. Just like you." Bella smiled. "Oh, and I guess I've been spending a little too much time around Edward's dad Carlisle. He curses like a sailor whenever he messes up his medical reports. He still has issues with computers." Bella shook her head.

"What about this one?" she asked, holding up a bright blue strapless gown.

"I think maybe that's a little too formal. I wouldn't want to go out on a date with someone that would expect me to wear something _that_ fancy." she shuddered. I couldn't help but notice that way her eyes unwillingly flickered to me when she said 'someone'. I filed that away for later. She glanced pensively at the rows of dresses, her azure eyes looking overwhelmed.

"Maybe it'll help if you pick a color you want, then we can go from there?" Bella suggested helpfully. Alice nodded, tilting her head to the side.

"Purple." she settled on. Bella nodded and started searching. Alice followed suit. I followed the girls around for awhile, no longer attempting to aid them. I had been told I had as much fashion sense as a tin of sardines. I took the hint, a little relived. This shopping business was baffling.

"I think this is the perfect one." Alice murmured sweetly, holding up a softly colored lilac dress with waves of fabric falling to knee length. It was pretty, but seemed casual at the same time.

"Bella?" she waited for her cousin's opinion.

"Lovely." she smiled.

"Jazz?"

"Anything would look beautiful on you, Alice. But that dress is very nice." I said. Alice blushed slightly. I wasn't embarrassed. Every word was true.

"So….are we going now?" Bella attempted to ask nonchalantly. Nothing got past Alice's all-knowing eyes.

"Yes Bella, we're going now. I know how eager you are to get back to your lovely Edward." she teased. We started to walk towards the store entrance.

"Am not." Bella huffed. "Besides, he's working down at the hospital today."

"He works at the hospital?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah. He wants to be a doctor." Bella stated proudly. "But right now he's working as a janitor. He likes it though, says it's "getting him attuned to the atmosphere"." Bella rolled her eyes, but she looked ecstatic. As I climbed into the driver's seat of my truck Alice hugged her cousin tightly before scampering into the middle seat next to me.

"I'm so happy for you Bells. Your life is really coming together." she grinned. Bella's smile faltered.

"But what about you, Al? I feel terrible leaving you here all alone with your grandmother to take care of." she furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip.

"Bella, don't give me that look. That look always means you're plotting. Now please listen to me Bells. This is what I chose to do. You, on the other hand, did not. Now, tell me what your going to do. What we always giggle and gossip about when you sleepover since the day you met Edward." Alice ordered like an indulgent parent.

Bella shook her head stubbornly, looking a little like a petulant child. Her long mahogany locks slipped past her shoulders and into her eyes, increasing the effect.

"Bella." Alice stated sternly.

"Fine. I'm going to marry Edward the week after graduation." she huffed.

"Yes, that's already settled. Tell me about how the wedding is going to be?" Alice asked slyly. Bella unwillingly started to smile a little.

"It's going to be outside in your backyard, because you have all the beautiful flowers. And Charlie is going to get past his dislike of Edward, and he's going to walk with me down the isle."

"Yes. Then what?" Alice asked playfully, like they had gone over this a million times.

"Then I'm going with him to Dartmouth. And then we'll start a life together." Bella smiled softly.

"Alice?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you always like hearing about that?"

"Because I want you to be happy. And I'm going to live vicariously through you." Alice grinned. Bella rolled her eyes.

"I'm just glad you have Edward. He has a good head on his shoulders, he's a good guy." Alice nodded.

We pulled up at Bella's house and dropped her off, then we continued on to Alice's house. I pulled up in front of the little cottage and turned the key so the pickup stopped rumbling and became quiet.

Alice turned to me, scooting back into the middle seat since she'd moved over when Bella had gotten out.

I smiled at her, expecting her to take my hand or mention some strange but charming comment about flowers or photography or life in general, like she usually does when it's just us.

But I _definitely _didn't expect what happened next.

Alice… sweet, shy, beautiful, wise, reserved, gentle Alice climbed right into my lap. She straddled my thighs and pressed her slender body against mine. My breathing picked up and I could feel my palms getting sweaty, my chest rising and falling rapidly as my head swam. Where did this come from?

I finally got a hold of myself long enough to meet Alice's gaze. Her azure eyes bore into mine as she slowly brought her face closer to mine. She looked like she was going to completely diminish the short space between our lips, but she stopped a second before, asking permission with her eyes. I nodded.

"Yes, Alice." I whispered breathlessly, thinking there was nothing in this world I could possibly want more at this moment. Or ever, for that matter.

She closed the short distance, our lips meeting. She pressed her lips lightly to mine and I could almost taste the sweet flavor of honey. A wave of desire rose up in the pit of my stomach, but before I could even react Alice pulled away, ending the fleeting kiss. My breathing was still rapid, and so was hers, much more than it had any right to be after such a brief kiss. But I'd never felt so alive. Alice swallowed thickly and climbed off my lap, putting as much space between us as possible in the tiny truck cab.

"Where did that come from?" I finally managed to ask after a short silence.

"It was just in case." she murmured.

"In case of what?"

"In case you left before I ever got the nerve to tell you I felt that way about you." she whispered.

"Oh, Alice." I whispered, crawling over to her and pulling her close. She buried her face in my chest.

"I really like you, Jazz. I though we could just be friends, you know, no strings attached, but it was just too much." she said, her words muffled by my flannel shirt.

"I know, Alice. I know. I like you too. I'm sorry." I whispered. "I shouldn't have let it get this far."

I heard an angry growl and felt Alice hit my chest with her tiny clenched fist.

"Stop _saying _that Jasper. I don't regret this." she grumbled.

"I'm sorry Alice."

She sighed.

"Maybe there's a way we can be together. If you want to." she mumbled.

"Of course I want to Alice. I mean, you can't leave your grandmother. That's a big part of it. And it's your home. And I….don't know. This town feels like a prison to me. I want to be free. " I said wearily.

I hated this. It was like some stupid reverse summer romance story, where someone always ends up leaving in the end.

"We'll figure it out Jazz." she smiled. "That's enough drama for tonight." she teased.

"Oh, and was that….okay?" she asked cryptically.

"What do you mean Alice?" I asked curiously.

"That I kissed you. Was that okay?"

I grinned. "It was more than okay Alice." I leaned over to give her a quick peck. The sky was darkening into a faded blue-black.

"You know, it's twilight. That's supposed to be the most romantic time of day." I smiled. Alice rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Leave twilight for other romance stories. Our relationship doesn't need a time of day, it's all day long." Alice grinned. I grinned back and gave her hand a last light squeeze.

"Goodnight Alice."

"Goodnight Jasper." she hopped gracefully out of the truck and danced inside. I sat for a moment, just thinking.

Then I heard the front door open again and I looked to see Alice hurrying through the dim light, making her way back toward the truck. I started to smile before I saw the look on her face.

Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her eyes were filled with untainted panic.

"Jasper!" she screamed, running toward me. I rolled down the window.

"What's wrong?" I asked frantically.

"My grandmother is gone. She's not in the house."


	12. Close Call

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for the reviews, and I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. :) I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter, it's not one of my favorites I've written, but I think it's okay. Enjoy!**

Jasper P.O.V.

_Previously…_

"Jasper!" she screamed, running toward me. I rolled down the window.

"What's wrong?" I asked frantically.

"My grandmother is gone. She's not in the house."

* * *

Alice stood there outside the truck window, her steady calm more shaken then I'd ever seen it. I sat in shock for a moment before my mind picked back up overtime.

"Get in."

She darted around the truck and jumped in the passenger side. As soon as I heard the door slam shut I stomped the gas pedal. My truck grumbled angrily as I pushed it past its normal speed.

"Where to?"

"The station. Charlie is on duty." she answered, her voice trembling slightly.

Alice kept her face close to the glass of the window, her azure eyes searching the woods as we zipped past. I kept my eyes on the road but occasionally they flickered to Alice or the opposite side of the forest. She let out a tiny whimper as the lights of the police station came into view.

I pulled swiftly into the lot and Alice jumped out, sprinting up the steps. I ran in after her. Every second counted, who knows how long her grandmother had already been gone? By the time I got in the door Alice was already telling Charlie and another cop the emergency, her words spilling out in a jumbled panic. The two cops listened calmly, their expressions grave. As soon as the last word was out, the other cop was on his radio, talking in a somber tone.

Charlie stepped forward and wrapped Alice in a tight hug.

"It'll be okay kid. We'll find her."

"I shouldn't have trusted just anyone with her. I should have made sure I picked a responsible neighbor to check on her, one who would remember to set the alarm after they left. " Alice moaned, dropping onto a hard chair in the corner of the square room and pulling her knees up to her chest. She wrapped her thin arms around them and buried her face in her knees, taking a deep breath.

I shook my head in disgust. Alice had trusted someone, and they let her down. I wanted to hunt them down and make them pay for hurting her. She'd told me about the alarm Charlie had installed for her, the one that went off whenever the door opened and was sent straight to a beeper she always carried in her pocket. Whenever someone went in to check on her, they had to disengage it and then turn it back on.

Alice jumped back up and grabbed my hand.

"Let's go look too?" she asked quietly.

"Of course. Where do you think she would go?"

Alice closed her eyes for a moment.

"Let's try the park. She always used to walk there with me when I was little." she murmured. I nodded and we got back in my truck. We continued to scan the woods as I drove. We pulled into the park.

It looked eerie in the darkness, the children's gymnasium casting shadows across the ground as a few lone street lights shone ominously. I took Alice's hand gently in mine and we began to search. We jogged down all of the walking paths where mothers walk with strollers in the daytime. We searched the perimeter of the pond that sat in the middle of the park, the moon's faint light reflecting off the smooth surface. We searched the playground and the area with picnic tables scattered along it.

After three hours, we had scoured the park and the woods around it, coming across no sign of life except the occasional animal scampering through the forest. Alice grew more anxious every minute, the tears never pausing in their trail down her beautiful face.

"How about we try back at the station? Maybe they have some news." I whispered gently. She nodded and we walked back to the truck. Back at the station there were car headlights lining the streets as people from the community joined in the search.

"That's her!" Alice mumbled. I followed her line of sight to see Charlie carefully helping an old woman up the concrete steps of the police station. Alice sprinted towards them and I ran after her.

"Grandma!" she screamed, wrapping her arms around the woman.

"You're okay." she sobbed as Charlie stood back awkwardly.

"Holly? What is all this about? I just went for a walk." she asked, the childlike fear in her aged eyes. Alice seemed to crumple slightly.

"Grandma, you're not supposed to leave without me. I couldn't find you." she whispered. Her grandmother looked confused.

"What do you mean?" her voice shook with puzzlement.

"Never mind." Alice sniffled, burying her face in the old woman's hair and holding onto her frail hand for dear life.

I slumped down on the top step, the cold concrete making goose bumps erupt over my skin. The chill seeped through the thick fabric of my jeans. Alice peeked over her grandmother's shoulder at me. Her hair was sticking up all over and the tear trails were dried onto her cheeks. The raging panic in her eyes had settled into a nervous jitter.

"Can you stay with her for a minute?" she whispered to me.

I nodded and took her place beside the tiny old woman as she strode over to Charlie with one last tender look toward her grandmother. I watched as she enveloped him in a grateful hug. They began talking and it looked like their conversation was becoming tense. I fought off impulses to run over there and see how he was upsetting Alice. But I said I would stay with her grandmother, so I did. It made me feel proud that she trusted me to take care of her, no matter how short her absence was. I had the feeling she wouldn't give that duty to just anyone anymore.

Alice stormed back over, her eyes turbulent and wild.

"Charlie wants to talk to me about something." she muttered. "Can you drive me back home so I can drop her off? She must be exhausted." she mumbled, suddenly sounding tired herself.

"Of course Alice."

I drove her back home and she made sure her grandmother was safely in bed before we set back off for the station.

"I'm so sorry to keep you running around like this Jazz. I feel like I'm taking advantage of your amazingness." she half-smiled, worry still etched under her eyes. Whatever her and Charlie had spoken about had left her infuriated and distressed.

"Don't worry about that Alice. I'm here for whatever you need right now." I murmured.

"Thank you." she whispered. We pulled into the station and walked slowly up the steps, Alice's usual dance-walking stunted by stress and exhaustion as she dragged her feet up each stair. Charlie waited for us behind his desk, stacks of paperwork cluttering the small space. Her looked exhausted too with rings under his brown eyes.

Alice walked over to him warily and slumped down in the chair across from him as I sat in the fold up seat in the corner. I watched cautiously as they sat in silence for a moment, waves of tension rolling off Alice like a stormy night on the Atlantic. Finally the silence was broken.

"You can't do that to us Charlie! You just can't." Alice burst out, leaping up from the chair and beginning to pace the small office.

"The hell I can't Alice. You're still seventeen, and if someone finds out your grandmother is no longer fit to take care of you, they'll make me your legal guardian." he stated in a stern voice. Alice ran her tiny hands down her face and sighed.

"You can't let them put her in a nursing home. She'll hate it." she said coldly.

"Kid, I've already let this go on long enough. I had a basic idea of what was going on between you two, but I never imagined her illness was this advanced. Or the stress it was putting you under. Your grades have plummeted, you rarely get out of the house anymore, even to see Bella." he ranted.

"I just saw her the other day, we went shopping." she argued. "And besides, I've been working on a project with my friend Jasper."

Charlie's weary gaze flickered to me.

"And that's another thing we need to talk about." he muttered.

He started talking in hushed tones, but I still caught clips of the conversation. Things like 'you shouldn't be spending so much time with a strange boy' and 'his family has a bad history'. It made me feel like the scum on my bootlaces. Which I guess I was. I realized I'd never seen such an livid look on Alice's face until now.

They started to talk at a normal volume about her grandmother again.

"We need each other, Uncle Charlie." she pleaded, her voice cracking slightly. "I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. I'll be more careful about who to trust and I'll be at home as much as possible." she murmured, the fire in her eyes extinguished. Charlie sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"Fine. But I'll be checking in much more often. If anything else goes wrong she's going to have to go into a nursing home. You can visit her." he gave in. Alice sighed in relief.

"Thank you Charlie." she murmured, grabbing my hand and towing me outside. I drove her home in silence.

"I can't believe such an amazing moment turned so crappy in such a short amount of time." she muttered as we pulled up in front of the bungalow.

"Yeah. But I guess sometimes life happens that way." I mumbled. I crumpled my eyebrows.

"Huh. I guess a little of your omniscient wisdom is rubbing off on me."

She shook her head and looked at me tenderly.

"You know Jasper, you're much smarter and talented then you give yourself credit for. You have a wisdom all your own. I've never seen it before." she said, trailing her soft fingers down my arm. There was no falsehood in her words. I smiled.

"Stay with me tonight?" she asked shyly. I nodded and turned off the truck, shoving the key in my pocket. We walked inside with our hands linked.

"You can have my bed again, in case my grandma wakes up early." she murmured as we slipped into her room. She collapsed on the bed and patted the space next to her. I sat down and pulled her onto my lap.

"Is this okay?" I asked, already knowing by how her shoulders instantly relaxed that it would be.

"Yes."

I stroked her back lightly as she leaned against my chest. A few minutes later I heard her breathing even out into sleep. I lifted her gently, surprised yet again at how easily her tiny body fit in my arms. She was so light. I laid her down carefully, pulling the flowered quilt over slight form.

Then I grabbed a spare pillow from the corner and laid down on the floor, perfectly content with the hard surface as long a I could her Alice's soft breathing to lull me to sleep.


	13. MidMay Fever

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Dang, I am on a roll with these chapters. I don't know how long it will last… but I love being able to write so easily. This story just seems to flow. Thank you so much for the reviews, they're a huge part of the reason I've been updating so fast, you guys are awesome! ;) Oh, and Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates it! :)**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

I felt a ray of sunshine splashing across my face, warming it. I slowly opened my eyes to the sight of Alice's photograph coated ceiling. I stretched my long legs. My back was stiff from sleeping on the wooden floor, but I felt more rested than I had in a long time. I sat up to find Alice's bed empty.

My spine popped ominously as I stood up and went down the hall in search of the strange but lovely girl. I found her curled up on the couch reading a book, a thick quilt swallowing her form.

"Hey Jazz." she murmured without looking up.

"Hey." I mumbled, sitting down beside her. I glanced at the antique clock ticking obediently on a shelf and found it was almost ten in the morning.

"Crap. I have to get to work soon." I grumbled, falling back onto the lumpy couch cushion.

"What book are you reading?" I asked curiously.

"Umm…Wuthering Heights. Bella has been bugging me to read it for the last eight months. I don't see how she finds it one of the best books ever written… it is pretty good though." she smiled, setting the worn novel down on the end table.

"How's your grandmother?" I asked, realizing for the first time I didn't know her name.

"She's alright. Still sleeping. I'm going to spend the day with her. Maybe we'll take a walk, she's was stuck in here all winter and she loves fresh air. That's probably why she left yesterday. I hope she thinks I'm my mother today, that's easier than when she has no idea who I am at all." she said quietly.

"Oh."

The corners of her lips turned up slightly.

"What's her name?"

"Annabelle." she smiled. "I love that name."

I nodded, wishing I could help in someway. I hate how Alice always has to feel so helpless. I sighed.

"I need to get to work. Judy will be wondering where I am."

"Okay. I'll see you in school tomorrow." she smiled.

I leaned towards her slightly and she hopped onto her knees, kneeling on the squashy couch cushions. She closed the distance and our lips met.

My stomach erupted into a riot of butterflies and her lips felt warm and soft against mine. I wanted to crush her slender body against mine and deepen the kiss, but I didn't want to frighten her. Desire rose up in my stomach. She sighed, her sweet breath making me shiver. Then she grinned and pulled away, looking smug. She knew exactly what she was doing to me.

I growled playfully, ticking her sides. Her musical laughter spread through the room like a melody.

"Stop Jazz." she smacked me lightly, laughter still bubbling from her chest. I chuckled.

"You'll be the death of me, silly girl. I thought it was going to be photography, but I missed my mark." I teased.

I shook my head in disbelief at how different of a person I felt like around Alice. I felt like I belonged, like I could be myself without a worry in the world. I wondered for a moment if I would ever feel like that around other people. I quickly found the answer. No. It was only Alice. It was always only Alice, since that day I saw her skipping down the sidewalk with her fluffy cat. I grinned at her one last time before hauling myself off the couch and opening the front door.

"See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Jazz."

I started up my trusty pickup and headed toward the Creek side Clipper. The parking lot was full of minivans and cars and even a little old punch buggy that was rusted beyond repair. The warm mid-May weather had the women of Forks restless.

I said a brief hello to Judy and all of the ladies, my ears and neck flushing red at their gracious compliments. Then I dragged some of the branches that had fallen in the last storm into the woods. I trimmed the bushes that lined the tiny shop and mowed the grass. I painted over a chipped area in the back of the building and straightened up the many shelves of hair products.

I finished just as the shop closed and then I headed inside, wary of the interrogation I'd no doubt be getting from Judy about Alice.

"There you are my boy! Trying to avoid me, huh?" she grinned, her hands on her hips. I smiled sheepishly, flopping down on one of the chairs in the small waiting area. She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms across her chest. I smiled at her, feeling almost at home. I basked in the familiarity of her brown hair knotted into a loosed bun on the top of her head and her warm eyes.

"Spill it boy." she ordered. I chuckled.

"It was great. Alice found a nice dress, then we went home." I said evasively.

"You're way too happy for just that to have happened, boy. You can't fool Judy. What made you finally decide to drop the moody act and become a smiling goofball?" she asked slyly. I laughed.

"She kissed me." I murmured, and even I could detect the wonder in my voice. Judy smiled.

"What makes that so hard to believe? You're a handsome, sweet, young gentleman. Any girl would be lucky to have you. Now come give me a hug." she ordered, grinning like mad. I blushed slightly and hugged her gently, eagerly inhaling the scent of her homemade perfume.

"But I'm leaving…" I trailed off miserably, my voice withering like the flowers in Alice's yard in the cold winter moths. Judy sighed.

"You always have wanted to escape this town like a disease, haven't ya?" she asked somberly. I nodded.

"It's like a prison. I just….I don't know. What's the date today?" I asked suddenly, remembering I haven't been keeping track like I normally do since the day Rose left.

"It's uh…May fifteenth."

I felt my chest clench. A little less than a month and a half. Crap.

"I've been thinking about it, you know? I went through a million scenarios. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. I suppose I'll figure it out soon…" I mumbled. Judy patted my back.

"Just keep your spirit up. You'll know what's best when the time is right." she said, apparently channeling Alice's wisdom through her words.

"But I always make the wrong decisions." I sighed. "Do you need me to do anything else?"

"Nope. Now get outta here and go have some fun." she chuckled, swatting me lightly with a fashion magazine that was laying on the counter. She opened the cabinet and handed me my pay for the last few weeks.

"Thank you. I'll see you next weekend Judy." I smiled, heading out to my truck. I stopped at the gas station to fill up my tank and stuffed the rest of my money in the glove box, glaring spitefully at the pack of cigarettes that beckoned me. I ignored the dulled longing and closed the door of the compartment where I kept all of the money I had sealed tightly in an envelope. It was my 'after graduation' fund.

I drove around the forest shrouded roads of Forks for awhile, just enjoying the warm weather despite the light drizzle. I pulled off the side of the road and hiked alone for a few hours, longing for Alice's company.

As I walked lazily through the damp woods, I realized something quite startling. My life had suddenly ceased to mean much of anything at all when I wasn't with her.

* * *

I walked into chemistry the next day already wanting the class to be over. But I had an obligation to fulfill today, and I wasn't going to let Alice down.

In lunch the period before she had abruptly thrust our camera into my hands, politely demanding I take a picture of a friend. She had merely rolled her eyes at me when I'd explained that I didn't have any friends outside of her.

"You're so blind, Jazz. I happen to know someone that would do virtually anything for you and you don't even notice her." she sighed impatiently, dancing out of the cafeteria before I had time to protest. And now I sat in chemistry, wondering who she was talking about. She could be so mysterious.

"Hey Jasper." Angela murmured quietly as she slid into her seat beside me.

"Hey." I mumbled, glancing over at her and giving her a slight smile.

"Did you get the homework done?" she asked meekly, taking her own out from her purple binder. I cursed quietly under my breath.

"No."

"Well….you can borrow mine as a reference if you're planning on making it up."

Suddenly it clicked together in my mind. Angela was the person Alice was talking about. I grinned.

"Hey Angela, do you mind if I take a picture of you for my photography project?" I asked, smiling a real smile. She bit her lip.

"Uhhh… I don't know." she murmured. "Alright, I guess."

I slid the camera out from inside the desk and adjusted everything while Angela waited nervously.

"Okay, on three. One. Two. Three." I counted, snapping the picture as she smiled.

"Great."

She grinned. After class I headed to photography with Alice and then I drove her home. She picked at her nails anxiously the whole ride.

"What's wrong?" I asked quietly.

"I just get so scared leaving my grandma home now. I'm terrified I'll get there and she'll be gone again." she murmured. I took her hand loosely in mine and the reassurance pulsed.

"It'll be alright."

She nodded tensely. We pulled up in front of the cottage and Alice darted inside to make sure everything was okay. She danced back out and climbed into the truck, looking much more relaxed.

"She's fine." she smiled. I grinned.

"So…did you get that picture?" she attempted to ask casually. I nodded.

"Good. Angela is a great person. I don't know her that well, but she's always sweet to everyone. She used to have a huge crush on you, but now she's going out with Ben." Alice giggled. My eyes widened.

"What?"

"I swear Jazz, you're so oblivious." she sighed and shook her head.

"Well…" I trailed off, not being able to cook up a good comeback. Instead I just laughed.

"Maybe you're just remarkably observant." I smiled.

"Maybe." she agreed.

"Do you want the camera back?" I asked.

"I suppose. Unless you're planning on taking a family picture." she mumbled quietly. My heart clenched tightly for the second time that day. Rose was gone and my Uncle was down in Texas. My father was dead. Who else? I sighed.

"Yeah. Maybe I can get a picture of my mom or something." I mumbled. I had told Alice brief fragments about my home life, but I didn't go into much detail. She just knew it wasn't good.

"I'm sorry. I try not to bring it up often." she mumbled. I smiled and pulled her onto my lap.

"Don't worry about it. I have to do it sometime." I kissed her neck gently. She shivered. Her spiky black hair tickled my chin.

We sat there for a few minutes before Alice mentioned we should probably catch up on some homework, since we haven't been doing much of it lately. I agreed and we said goodnight. I worked on homework until my mom and stepfather came home. I managed to snap a picture of my mother without her really registering it, and then I fell asleep, dreaming of Texas and the forest….but most of all Alice.


	14. Breaking Restraints

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, you really are awesome and motivating. This will be the last calm/fluffy chapter for awhile, the drama is going to pick back up full force next chapter. Get ready! ;) I hope you like it! **

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**2 weeks later**

The sweltering June sun pounded down on my back as I walked to Alice's house.

Sweat soaked through my thin, white t-shirt, dripping exasperatingly slow down my skin. The warm, tender embrace of May had suddenly and forcefully turned into the hot, crushing embrace of June. Even here in Forks, the rainiest place in the U.S., the sun still managed to make a rebound at the start of summer.

I muttered curses at myself under my breath for the stupid idea of leaving my truck at home for the day. I pined for the cool metal of the steering wheel under my hands and the loud rumble of the engine. I sighed.

My birthday had passed by unnoticed the day before, just how I'd planned. I have no idea how I managed to keep it hidden from Alice….that was something of a miracle. The girl knew everything. I didn't feel eighteen, even though I was now legally an adult. I doubted I would until I was no longer living under my mother's roof.

The thunder of an engine roared from behind me and I sidestepped out of the way into the long wisps of grass. Mike Newton flew past in his pickup, taking special care to flip me off out the window on his way through. I chuckled. We still weren't on good terms since the incident in the cafeteria. It didn't really bother me.

I walked for a few more minutes in the oppressive heat, feeling like a turkey baking in the oven. I let out a breath of relief as the bungalow came into view out in the distance. I picked up my sluggish pace, my desire to see Alice practically tangible in the muggy air. I finally made it to the porch, climbing the steps and knocking on the edge of the screen door.

Alice came dancing out from the kitchen, grinning at me from the other side of the thin screen. She had her short hair spiked and wore a loose t-shirt and shorts. Her feet were bare, as I'd gotten used to. She'd informed me shoes were only for cold weather and being out in public. The rest of the time she ran around with nothing covering her tiny feet. It had rubbed off on me, and as I stepped through the door I automatically slipped off my boots and socks.

She stepped forward and wrapped her thin arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest. I wound my arms around her and kissed the top of her head. We walked into the living room and sprawled out on the couch in front of the only fan in the small house. It spun with a clicking noise and Alice's hair tickled my nose each time in swerved toward us.

In the last two weeks a sort of ritual had sprung up between us. I never wanted it to end.

"Are we hanging out around here today?" I asked vaguely, twirling a strand of her short hair around my finger. She nodded, snuggling further into my chest. We stayed like that the rest of the afternoon, speaking only occasionally. Alice's grandmother wandered in at a few points, joining our odd little gathering in her distant way. It was like we were separated from everyone else for the moment, just the three of us.

At around seven thirty, just as darkness began to fall, there was a soft knock at the door. Alice stretched, giving me a peck on the cheek before striding off to the front door.

"Bella? Edward? What are you guys doing here?" she asked curiously. I hauled myself off the couch and slipped down the hall to listen.

"You guys need to get out of this house for awhile. You've been cooped up in here for two weeks straight, only leaving for school. You need a break. Think of us as your personal grandma-sitters." Bella smiled.

"I don't know guys…I don't like the idea of her being 'watched' like a child. She wouldn't like that, if she was thinking clearly." Alice frowned. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Come on Al, you know I didn't mean it like that. She's my grandmother too. I know I was never close to her like you are…but still." Bella murmured, half hiding behind her long mahogany locks. Alice thawed, smiling at the other girl tenderly.

"Okay Bella. Thank you, I guess Jasper and I do need to get out of here for awhile."

Bella nodded.

"Now, shoo. I'll take care of your grandmother." she grinned, ushering us out the door. Alice grabbed our shoes quickly before Bella closed the door on us, her and Edward's laughter muffled behind the wall. I slipped on my worn boots. Alice shook her head, holding out her hand for me. I took it in mine.

"Can we go to the tower?" she asked excitedly, eagerly breathing in the fresh air. I nodded, squeezing her tiny hand lightly. We headed off toward my house. Once we got there we hopped in the truck and set off. I parked the truck on the shoulder and we walked quietly through the trees, dusk slowly settling around us. Alice smiled softly every time she heard the faint hoot of an owl from somewhere nearby.

We made it to the tower and slowly climbed the steps. The flat stones were cool against my calloused palms as I reached out. At the top Alice scampered over to the edge, looking out at the moon. She spun around and smiled at me, dancing over to the opposite side of the small space and sliding down the smooth stones until she was sitting on the floor with her legs folded neatly beneath her. She grabbed my hand and pulled me down beside her. The crickets of the summer chirped sweetly.

It was the happiest I'd remembered being in years. She leaned her slight frame against me, her head lolling onto my shoulder.

"Jasper? Can I ask you a question?" she murmured.

"Of course."

"Why are you waiting to graduation to leave? I mean, your sister left two years ago…" she trailed off, focusing her wise eyes on my face. I swallowed thickly.

"Well I made a promise a long time ago…" I mumbled, not sure how to explain it. Alice nodded.

"To who?"

"My father."

"Oh." she whispered. I nodded stiffly.

The whole town knew about my father's death. They'd all chipped in and helped us with money and food when we no longer had him to support us. But that didn't stop my mother from turning to alcohol. He'd been sick with cancer for years, but no one had told Rose or I until he was so ill they could no longer hide it. We were only seven. I'd never understood why he wouldn't take me to Texas until that moment. He was too sick. I coughed, clearing my throat.

"Yeah. He loved this town. He loved the all consuming green and the cloudy skies. And he loved my mother. More than anything. So he made me promise I would stay here at least until I graduate. In the place he loved. And watch over my mother for him. I failed terribly at that." I muttered. Alice climbed onto my lap and trailed her fingers down my face, shaking her head sadly.

"Jasper, you couldn't have stopped her from drinking. You were only seven years old! But you stayed anyway, even though she and your stepfather made your life hell. That shows you're a good person." she murmured, continuing to trail her fingers down my face softly. It was so soothing.

"Can I ask you a question in return?" I asked cautiously, sensing we might be getting into dangerous territory. She nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

"Why do you look so scared whenever you're grandfather is mentioned? Did he do something to you?"

Alice shook her head quickly.

"No, no, nothing like that. I've never even met him." she explained.

"You've never met him?" I asked, confused.

"No. He was put in a mental institution in his thirties, just after my mother was born." she murmured.

"Oh. Why?" I asked carefully.

"He saw things. Everyone thought he was schizophrenic. He said he just knew things were going to happen…and sometimes they did. At least that's what my grandma told me. She loved him, but she was scared of him. He'd always become so strange and muddled, and no on could ever tell what he was going to do next. He was unpredictable. Then he just…fell off the edge of sanity, I guess." she told me quietly, looking down at her hands.

"Oh." I mumbled. "But how does that affect you?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, sighing.

"I feel like that sometimes. Like I know what's going to happen. It's not specific, just a faint feeling in the pit of my stomach. And I don't see anything like he did, but I'm scared. What if it's just the beginning? What if I go crazy too?" she whispered. I cradled her face in my hands.

"You're not going to go crazy Alice. It's probably just good intuition. You know, sort of like a sixth sense." I tried to comfort her. She nodded, but didn't look convinced. I sighed. So did Alice.

"Stay with me?" she murmured, picking at her nails, a sure sign she was nervous.

"I am with you, Alice." I chuckled.

"Yeah. Never mind." she mumbled. Suddenly I understood. She was asking me to stay with her after graduation.

"Oh." I breathed. She shook her head.

"No, forget I said anything. I can't ask you to do something that would make you unhappy." she declared softly. I sighed again, rubbing my eyes with my knuckles.

"You make me happy Alice." I said. I realized the words were true.

My heart was screaming at me that this was an easy decision, one that didn't need thought or reason. But my mind was desperately hanging onto the desire to escape, the only thing that had kept me sane the last two years.

Finally the clasp released and I let my deadline float away in the light wind. I didn't _need_ to leave yet. Alice was the only person on this earth that could lead me to have that thought.

"Maybe it doesn't have to be exactly on graduation. Maybe I can stay…so we can decide what we want to do. We'll have plenty of time." I grinned. She just stared at me with her wide eyes.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"I love you Jasper.

"What?"

"You heard me."

I love you too Alice." I whispered. Suddenly the word was aligned perfectly, everything in place. I was with Alice, right where I needed to be.

**A/N: Yay! I've been dying to write that scene since I started this story. But, I'm sorry to say, the drama doesn't end here. ;)**


	15. Not So Free

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: I am a failure as a fan fiction author! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long, life got ridiculously crazy. But now hopefully I can get back into writing, I miss it. Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

Alice's tiny hand felt perfect intertwined with mine as we cruised down the back roads.

The declaration of her love still played over and over in my head, making me a little woozy. The grin that pried my lips upward showed no sign of leaving any time soon. Alice hummed softly as I pulled into my driveway, the dark sky casting shadows over the trees.

"Want to come in for awhile?" I asked softly.

She nodded and hopped daintily out of the truck. Our hands met once again as we walked slowly into the house. The living room was still the same. It still held the same stench of alcohol, the same cluttered end tables, and the same dark wine stains on the couch cushions.

But I was no longer the same Jasper. I was happy. Truly and purely.

Alice danced over to the photographs once again, lightly trailing her fingers over the dusty frames, pausing to glance a moment longer at the picture of Rose and I. I felt a wave of déjà vu. She sent me a soft smile. I grinned back. I grabbed my flannel jacket that was strew carelessly over the couch, offering it to her. The air was starting to chill.

"I'm fine. Thank you though." she smiled. I chuckled, slipping the jacket on myself.

The sound of a truck pulling up the driveway rumbled in my ears and I felt a brief stab of panic in my chest. I took a deep breath.

"Should I…?" Alice murmured, motioning to the door. I shook my head, chunks of blonde hair slipping into my eyes.

"No Alice. You don't have to leave. Do you want to meet my mom and stepfather?" I asked quietly, silently praying they weren't drunk. Praying for a miracle. She nodded somberly but I could tell she was pleased. I slipped an arm around her tiny shoulders as the door creaked open.

Drunken laughter leaked from the hallway. I cursed under my breath. Alice smacked me lightly on the chest.

"Watch your language!" she scolded playfully, flashing me a quick smile. It looked forced. Her eyes were tense. She was nervous. My eyebrows raised as I realized how easily I could read her emotions now. Maybe I'd always had that talent, and just never had a chance to put it to use.

They stumbled into the room, my stepfather holding up my mother, who was slumped in his arms giggling wildly. She turned her body and leaned against him, trailing her hands down his chest as she stared drunkenly into his eyes, a seductive smile playing in her lips.

"Mom." I muttered. She slowly turned her gaze to Alice and I, while my stepfather just continued to trail his hands lazily over her, oblivious to the company.

"Jasper." she slurred. "And a friend? Hmm." she giggled. "Is this what has kept you out so late? Been with this little girl? I bet you thought I didn't notice." she winked. I felt my face go slack. How dare she. Alice was better then that. She was so much more then some late night fling. My stepfather stuck his head out of his drunken haze long enough to sneer at us.

"Oh wonderful, your boy brought a friend over." he said to my mother. He took an unstable step toward us, leaving my mother gripping the doorknob for support. I wrapped my arms tighter around Alice's small frame and took a step back. He continued to make his way toward us, a hint of malice in his foggy eyes.

"What Jasper? Afraid of me getting too close to your little girlfriend?" he sneered. He reached out and grabbed Alice's arm. I felt a bubble of rage form in the pit of my stomach.

"Get your hands off her." I snarled. Alice put her free hand on my face, shaking her head. Her wide eyes were calm.

"Shhh." she murmured. I nodded stiffly.

"Hello Sir. It's so nice to finally meet you." she smiled politely, attempting to turn his rough grip on her wrist into a courteous handshake.

My respect for her grew even more, which I didn't think was possible. She was amazing. Trying to turn this crappy situation into something halfway decent. I smiled, shoving back my anger at the two jerks and playing along.

"Alice, this is my stepfather. And my mother is over there on the couch." I motioned to her slumped from on the cushions. Her breathing was heavy but even. She had already passed out. My chest tightened. What would my stepfather do without her awake to stop him?

"You're a pretty girl." he slurred, eyeing Alice in a way that made me want to tear him limb from limb.

"Thank you." she murmured quietly, dropping her eyes. Her grip on my arm tightened. He made a move forward and Alice jerked back, a trace of fear springing into her azure eyes. I growled under my breath, shifting her behind me.

"Don't touch her." I warned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize she was _your_ tramp." he scorned. My chest alit again, fire raging.

"Shut the hell up."

"What, she doesn't like to be called that? How about slut?" he slurred.

My restraints broke. My fist shot out, connecting with his jaw with a spout of blood. I shoved him into the shelves, pictures spraying onto the floor with the shatter of broken glass. He fell hard and easily, the alcohol chugging through his veins making him clumsy. I landed a few more punches before I heard the only noise that could stop me.

"Jasper, stop!" Alice screamed, yanking my arm backwards. I let her pull me away, putting up no fight. The anger was gone, extinguished. I was just a bewildered boy standing in the middle of his own battlefield. Alice threw her arms around my waist, tears pouring from her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Alice. I…" I trailed off, having no idea what to say that could comfort her. She shook her head frantically, pointing toward my mother who was now awake. Her frail hands were tightly clamped around the phone as she took it from her ear, letting it roll off her palm onto the floor.

"She called the police. She called Charlie." Alice whispered, her voice tortured.

My breath left my lungs in a fast whoosh. Charlie's words replayed in my frazzled mind. One more incident and Alice's grandmother was gone. Into a nursing home. Alice let her fingers slip lifelessly from her clutch on my arm as she lowered herself slowly to the floor. Her eyes were blank. I dropped down beside her.

"Alice?" I whispered. No response. The sirens wailed. A rough knock on the door was followed by gruff voices mingled with my mother's feather light voice.

I felt someone pull my hands behind me. The hard metal cuffs snapped in place.

"Get up." an unfamiliar voice commanded.

I obeyed, letting myself be led to the cruiser. The cop spoke to me, but I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. I might have ruined Alice's life. Large hands pushed me into the back seat, closing me in. The dark trees whizzed by through the tinted windows. The station was lit up like a Christmas show. I was led up the steps and into a small holding cell.

Charlie's livid face peering at me through the bars was the last thing I registered before I closed my eyes. I stayed like that for the rest of the night.

**The next morning…**

_Click. Click. Click. Click._

A steady clicking was the first sound that reached my ears as I awoke.

The cold metal of the chair I was sprawled on made me shiver. The walls were a drab gray and the room smelled like coffee grinds. There was no moment of uncertainty or confusion as I woke up fully. I wasn't that lucky. I knew exactly where I was. The shame and heaviness in my chest came back full force the second my eyes opened. I found the source of the clicking.

Alice was sitting on the opposite side of the bars, a pen clenched in her tiny hand as she clicked the point up and down rapidly, staring straight at me.

"Alice." I breathed, jumping off the frigid metal seat and leaning against the bars.

"Jasper." her voice cracked and she lunged off the chair, thrusting her thin arms through the bars and grabbing fistfuls of my flannel shirt. She wrenched me toward her, crushing my body against hers. The bars cut into my skin. I hardly noticed. Her lips were on mine and I was so startled, I couldn't think of anything else to do other than kiss her back just as desperately. After a moment she let go, falling back onto the chair. The fire in her eyes was dead.

"My grandmother is gone. Charlie called the nursing home last night. He said I wasn't responsible enough to take care of her. First I let her get lost and now this…." she broke off, shaking her head.

Her hair was snarled and tangled, making her look wild.

"And he says I can't see you anymore. That you're dangerous and a bad influence. That only a crazy person would do that to his own stepfather." she murmured.

"And you believe him?" my voice was smothered in my throat. It came out as a whisper.

"No."

I nodded.

"Okay."

"He's selling my house. My house that I've lived in for seventeen years. I have to go live with him and Bella. And my grandmother is gone and I can't see you and…." she choked. "Well I can see you in school for a few more weeks. Maybe we can think of something." she muttered. I shook my head.

"No Alice. Charlie is right about one thing. I'm not good for you. I snapped and I hurt my stepfather. I don't deserve you. I can't talk to you anymore." I mumbled. I ruined her life, took away her grandmother. All because of a moment of anger. It was appropriate anger, but still.

"Oh. I see." Alice whispered. She fumbled with her skirt for a moment.

"That's stupid, you know." she stated mildly.

"What?"

"You know what. But I'm tired of forcing you into realizing everything. When and if you decide to stop being an idiot, you know where to find me." she hopped off the chair and slipped her hand into mine through the bars.

"I bailed you out, cowboy. Someone will be in to let you out soon." she smiled an empty smile and walked out the door.

I was let out of the cell a few minutes later. But just because there were no longer bars holding me in didn't mean I was free.

I missed Alice.


	16. Calls, Coons, and Confessions

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of it's characters.

**A/N: Hi! So, its been awhile since the last update once again. I've been having a bit of writers block….but hopefully it's gone now. Thank you so much for the reviews, I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to give me feedback. And….I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

**3 Weeks later**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

Tiny faded blue paint flecks wedged their way under my dirty finger nails as I scratched at the fender of my pickup.

I was slumped on the tailgate, running my fingers absentmindedly up and down the rusted metal. My meager stash of belongings I had rummaged through the attic for were piled in a cardboard box in the back seat. The last three weeks had been...terrible to say the least.

I was homeless. I had ruined someone's life. I had failed my mother. And most of all, I missed Alice.

So much that it hurt to breath, to think, to remember. I pulled my flannel shirt tighter around me as a breeze came, rattling through the forest where my truck was hidden. It was like the last three months never happened. But so much worse. Now I knew what I was missing.

Graduation was only a handful of days away. A few months ago that fact would have made my stomach curl with anticipation and my eyes just a little bit brighter. But now it made me sick. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving Alice here, now stuck in the middle of her own personal hell. Because of me. It was like we'd switched places.

I growled, kicking the back tire and hopping off the tailgate, striding into the woods. The trees swayed in the wind. I got a few feet in and turned around, loping back toward the truck.

I drove into town and pulled into the Fork's convenience store parking lot, hunting through the glove box for spare change. When I had a handful of grungy coins I headed for the payphone, silently praying the number I had memorized for the last four years was still in use. I closed my eyes and leaned against the pole, slipping the extra change into my jean pocket. I let out my breath in a whoosh as it rang. A feminine voice answered.

"Hello?" she sounded ticked off, like she was in the middle of something and I had interrupted.

"Rosie?" I breathed, knowing that tone of voice without a thought. My lovely, tenacious sister.

"Who's this?" she asked impatiently, sighing.

"It's Jasper." I murmured.

"Jazz?" she asked, sounding skeptical.

"Yeah, it's me." I muttered, belatedly realizing this spur of the moment idea may not have been a good one.

I didn't know my sister anymore. I didn't know the woman she had become, what she was like now. But dear god, it was so good to hear her voice.

"Jazz!" she screeched, her laughter flowing through the phone. "You're graduating soon, right. You still want me to come get you? I will be there that very day, that very second you graduate. I've missed you so much…" she rattled on, her words a jumble.

"Rose. Rose!" I interrupted, chuckling slightly.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy to hear from you. You pain in the ass." she laughed. I smiled. Same old Rosalie.

"Look Rosie, I called for your advice…" I murmured.

"On what?"

"Oh…a lot of things…." I muttered, remembering the events of the last three months along with everything before that.

And then I told her everything. She listened without interrupting, something of a miracle considering what she was usually like. And when I was finished, she just sighed.

"You idiot." she grumbled.

I could practically imagine the look on her face, the way she would put her hands on her hips and shake her head.

"First off, go get your girl back. Then, fix all the crap you caused. Then after that, give yourself a nice hard smack upside the head for me. Only you could make that many mistakes." she sighed. "And then, lastly, get the hell out of that town no matter what the cost. And bring Alice with you. And her grandmother if possible. But Jasper….this really wasn't your fault. But you're the one who's going to fix it. Or else." she threatened through the phone.

"Easier said then done Rosie." I grumbled, kicking the sidewalk edge with my boot.

"Jasper, if you love her, fix this. If not, get out of town, ok? Ok. Now, I have to go. My hot boyfriend is waiting for me on his Harley. I love you Jazz, call me if you need me. Bye." she hung up.

I sighed, hopping in my truck and heading back to the hidden patch of forest, still not entirely sure of what the hell I was going to do. Hearing Rose had dragged me up out of my self-pity…but how could I help Alice? Did she want my help?

I climbed out of the truck cab and strode into confining woods. I stopped for a moment, swiping chunks of blonde hair from my eyes and looking up at the thick canopy of branches above me.

A timid chirping sound came from behind an old rotten log laying in the damp leaves. My eyebrows furrowed as the chirping continued. It was such a helpless sound, so vulnerable. I sighed. Very carefully, I crouched down and crawled across the leaves. I peeked over the log soundlessly as to not scare the animal away incase it was hurt.

I felt the corner of my lips twitch up. I stared in awe. Three baby raccoons stared back at me. They were huddled in a pile, all fur and fluff and adorableness. Their tiny clawed feet curled and uncurled as they stretched and yawned. Their masked faces nuzzled into each other as they wrestled like baby animals often do.

I just kneeled there in the leaves, dampness soaking through the knees of my blue jeans. I could picture perfectly what Alice would be doing if she was here. How her slender body would be lightly pressed against mine as we watched in awe together. How her grin would be so big I would tease her about how she should be careful not to break her face. How she would coo and giggle while she watched the babies roll and play. How she would tap my shoulder eagerly and point every time they did something, practically bouncing with excitement.

And then I knew I couldn't live without her.

I didn't want to imagine these things, I wanted to witness them. I pulled myself off the ground as I heard a deeper, more feral chirping coming from the bushes. Their mother was coming back for them, and I didn't want to be around when she did.

I walked back to my truck, my mind set. I needed Alice. And if she still wanted me, I would do everything in my power to fix what I'd caused. This was a new Jasper. No longer aloof and nervous, but determined and focused.

I was going to get my girl.


	17. Back in her Arms

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**Jasper P.O.V.**

I sat with my head in my hands, thinking.

About Alice, of course. Always her. Not that I was complaining. I couldn't begin to delve into the task of fixing everything I'd broken until I had her back in my arms. My palms were sweaty from nerves as I bounced my knee up and down in anticipation, a habit I'd picked up from Alice.

The last bell rang.

The students poured out of the cramped photography room and into the halls, eager to get out into the June sun. Two more days of school left. I didn't have much time to act. I watched Alice as she crammed all of her papers into her worn knapsack, setting our camera gently on top.

She seemed to be taking her time, lifting each object with exaggerated sluggishness, humming softly under her breath.

My sweet Alice was giving me time to make my move. Like always, she knew what was coming. And, like always, she was helping me along.

I listened as the noise slowly drained from the school.

We were alone.

She stuffed the last notebook into her bag with a sigh. With an impatient glance at me she strode from the empty classroom, her crown of black spiky hair disappearing around the corner. I was still frozen. I finally snapped out of my haze, sprinting down the hall after her.

"Alice!" I shouted, my voice shaking with nerves. What if she didn't want me anymore? She swerved on her heel at the end of the hallway, raising her eyebrows at me.

"Yes Jasper?" her words were weary and heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry Alice. I'll find a way to fix everything, I promise, I just…..need you." I murmured. Her eyes softened around the edges slightly.

"I love you. I need you. I want you." I mumbled, timidly raising my eyes to meet hers. She dropped her eyes from mine with a wistful look.

"Prove it." she demanded.

"How? How can I prove it Alice?" I pleaded.

"Figure it out Jasper. Prove that you want me." she muttered.

Her voice wasn't harsh or angry, just tired. A single idea fluttered into my mind. If Alice wanted proof of how much I wanted her, she would get it.

I took a step toward her so my chest was lightly bumping hers. She swallowed thickly, stepping back and flinching as she came in contact with the faded yellow lockers behind her. One more small step and I had her pinned. I placed a hand on each side of her head and leaned over, our height difference making it easy to trap her against me and the cool metal of the lockers.

Her eyes were wide with curiosity and excitement. My breathing was already heavy and labored as thoughts and images of my Alice fluttered through my mind. I cringed as I reworded my thoughts. She wasn't _my _Alice quite yet. Hopefully soon though, if my strategy worked.

I slowly bowed my head until my mouth was at her neck. My warm breath made goose bumps erupt over her soft skin. She placed her two tiny hands on my chest and I felt a faint pressure through my t-shirt as she gently pushed me back.

"Jasper, what are you doin?" she asked, swallowing thickly once again. Her bewilderment made her already extremely soprano voice shoot up even higher in pitch.

"You know what I'm doing Alice. I'm showing you how much I want you." I whispered, gently placing my lips against the exposed skin on her neck. She shivered, her breathing speeding up to match mine.

I pulled back slowly to see her face. Her azure eyes were staring back at me, full of a mixture of amusement and yearning. She teased me, leisurely swiping her tongue over her bottom lip. That was all the permission I needed, not to mention the fact that I couldn't control myself for very much longer.

I attacked her lips, crushing her small body against mine. I felt all her curves in all the right places as our lips molded together. She grabbed fistfuls of my shirt, just like that day at the police station. But this time there was no bars to keep us apart, no uncertainty to taint our motions.

She slyly shifted us so my back was to the cool metal. She slammed my body into the lockers, and I grabbed her thighs, lifting her up so she could wrap her thin legs around my waist.

"Jasper." she whimpered as she dug her nails into my back.

"What Alice?" I half-moaned, enjoying the sensations.

For once Alice wasn't the mature, wise girl she normally was and I wasn't the tentative, grouchy boy I was at most times. We were just two teenagers relishing the most simple of pleasures. I grudgingly removed my lips from hers. She closed her eyes for a moment, controlling her breathing. Then she grinned.

"I'm not exactly sure this is the right place for this, cowboy." she chuckled. For the first time since I'd stepped out of the photography room I registered my surroundings. We were still in school. A school no doubt still full of teachers packing up for summer vacation. I laughed.

"I guess you're right."

"I'm always right." she winked, smirking at me.

"True." I agreed easily, slipping an arm around her waist. She laughed.

"You have no idea how happy I am you finally decided to stop being an idiot." she confided, giggling.

"Me too, Alice. Me too." I sighed.

"Oh, before I forget, we still have one more picture left to take. Everyone else already started printing." she reminded me.

"That's right. What's left?" I murmured.

"Something beautiful."

"Oh, that's easy." I grinned, snatching the camera from her bag. I quickly set the light meter and aperture.

"Smile, sweetie." I chuckled as she flashed a grin. I snapped the picture. She held her hand out, asking for the camera. I gave it to her and to my surprise she brought it to her eye. She had on the look that I'd begun to think of as her "photography face". She was completely stoic apart from her scrunched up nose. I smiled and she snapped a picture.

"That _was _easy." she smiled, setting the camera back in her bag.

"Come on. We're going to be late." I stated.

"Late for what?" she asked, still grinning.

"Visiting your grandmother. Then Charlie. Then who knows. But I do know one thing. I'm not stopping until we get her out of there."

"Ok Jasper. I trust you." she murmured.

"Then let's go."

**A/N: Hello! I hope ya liked the chapter! So… I have two possible endings planned out for this story… and it would be helpful to hear your opinion! :) With one the ending would be a few chapters from now and mostly happy/fluffy, and the other one would be much longer and have more drama. So, if you'd like, leave me a review and tell me what you think. Thanks for reading! :) **


	18. Pain and Excuses

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for the reviews, you folks are lovely. I decided to go with the longer ending with more drama, because I think it would fit much better. There will be fluff also, of course! I'm sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I'm a little rusty at writing at the moment, so feel free to tell me any advice for improvements. Hope ya like it! :)**

**Jasper. P.O.V.**

"Squirrel!" Alice squeaked as the furry silhouette scampered across the road.

I hit the brakes and turned gently, missing the tiny creature. Alice let out a relieved breath as I sped back up again.

"So, are we really going to Charlie's house first?" she asked, azure eyes wide and anxious.

"Yeah."

"I see."

"Mhhmm."

Normally I would have comforted her, but my mind was racing. What would it take to convince Charlie that Alice's grandmother was safer with her? I growled under my breath, stomping on the gas pedal as we turned onto the main road.

"It will be ok Jasper." she murmured.

I nodded. Once again, she was the one comforting me when she obviously needed it most. She's amazing in every way.

We pulled into Charlie's driveway. His cruiser was parked off to the side as well as Bella's pickup. At least we wouldn't be alone with him.

The screen door opened and Bella walked out, her brown hair in a loose ponytail. Her eyebrows shot up at she registered the sight of Alice hopping out of the passenger seat.

"Al, what are you doin here?" she asked as Alice pulled her in for a crushing hug.

"Visiting." Alice smiled, letting Bella out of her death-grip embrace.

"But what about my dad? I thought….well, I thought you'd be angry." she murmured.

"I was. I am. But I'm going to do something about it. Jasper and I are, that is." she stated, her voice concrete.

"You never were one to give up easily, were you? Bella grinned. "Well. Go on in. We were actually just talking about that. I think I have him buttered up for ya." she winked, ushering us up the steps.

We walked into the small entrance area, the familiar sound of the sports channel coming from the living room.

"Who's here Bells?" Charlie's gruff voice rumbled from around the corner.

"Alice and Jasper." Bella's soft voice called back.

The TV cut off, leaving an tense silence in it's place. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Wow, you guys must be pretty important. You got him to shut the television off. Teach me how to do that?" she chuckled as we followed her steps into the living room.

She sat down on the couch and we followed suit. The tension was thick and unwavering as Charlie looked us over. I felt self-conscious as his eyes evaluated everything from my messy hair to my plain white t-shirt and faded jeans. The grimy boots on my feet suddenly seemed inappropriate for this occasion that meant so much to my Alice. I remember Alice had mentioned Charlie was a man of few words. He seemed lost.

"I need my grandmother." Alice blurted out. I turned my head to find that the steely determination had drained from her eyes, leaving a look of pleading defeat.

"She doesn't belong in a nursing home when she has someone willing and able to take care of her." I said, surprised at how steady my voice was.

"Able? No. Taking care of an elderly woman with dementia is much too big of a responsibility for a teenage girl. Especially with an influence like you around." he said. I bit my tongue, hindering my wounded comeback. Alice's face was stone.

"Charlie, there's no need to talk to Jasper like that. He is a gentleman. Not that it's any of your business." she said, slow and precisely.

"Alice, I'm your legal guardian now, it's damn sure my business." he snarled.

"Dammit Charlie we _need _each other! It's not helping anything to do this. I will stay home with her twenty-four hours a day if that's what it takes." Alice was negotiating now, her brow furrowed.

"Alice, you don't understand!" he boomed. "You just don't understand. This is for the good of both of you."

"How Charlie? How is doing this to your niece good for her? How is locking up an old woman with dementia in a nursing home good for her?" I yelled, my voice cracking slightly.

"You shut up boy, you don't understand either! You kids don't get the whole picture. You don't know what decisions I've had to make!" he shouted.

"I just know the one that took my grandmother away from me!" Alice stood up, her arms crossed.

"Tell me the real reason Charlie! Tell me, dammit!" She screamed, her eyes stormy and wild. Charlie's face was scrunched in anger, his fists clenched.

"Because she's dying Alice!" he roared. His face went slack. "She's dying." he whispered.

"You're lying to me." Alice accused, emotionless.

"Oh hunny, I wish I was." he whispered. "I…I… you know I can't talk with people well Alice. I didn't know how to tell you. You were already handling so much on your own…." he trailed off, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"She has cancer. She's had cancer for a long while. They didn't find it until I took her to the doctors during my lunch break last month. She wasn't able to tell us she was sick…she didn't know herself. She didn't even know she was herself." he murmured in a soft tone. It sounded almost wrong in his gruff voice.

" She doesn't have very long. She needs to be in the nursing home if we even want another few weeks." he whispered.

My heart sank. It wasn't that he didn't trust my Alice…it was that he didn't trust himself to tell her without shattering her. Anger sprang up in my chest. How dare he make up excuses instead of telling her the truth. But the anger was dulled. He was hurting just as badly.

I looked at Alice. I could see it in her eyes. Her yearning to run out that door and take all her along pain with her. To be alone and wallow in her sorrow to protect us. She was strong enough. Strong enough to carry all that pain on her tiny shoulders, to not let us share the pain with her, make it just a little easier.

I prayed she wouldn't go. She moved. But instead of bolting for the door, she threw herself into my arms.

"Jasper." she whimpered, clutching my t-shirt with her tiny fists and burying her face in. I pressed my face into her hair.

"I'm right here Alice." I whispered, rubbing her back. Bella slowly picked herself off the couch, pools of tears forming in her chocolate eyes. She wrapped her arms around both of us, holding tight.

"Dad?" she sobbed, the dam breaking. Charlie joined us.

Alice was at the center, her pain the sharpest, the most cutting. But for once she wasn't forcing herself to handle it alone.

"What am I gonna do without her?" Alice sobbed, tears making salty trails down her cheeks.

"Shhhh baby, don't think about that now." I murmured, holding tight to my Alice. She nodded, burrowing her face farther into my t-shirt.

"I need to see her. I need to be with her for whatever time she has left." Alice stated, solidly.

"Of course." Charlie said.

"I'll be there with you Alice." I murmured.

"No Jazz, you don't need to be cooped up in the hospital. And…I need to do this alone. And you need to print our pictures, please?" she asked. How could I say no to those eyes?

"Of course I will. And I'll visit everyday you want me."

"I'll always want you." she said simply, the tears quieter now, but still there.

"Good." I murmured hugging her to my chest once again. Charlie and Bella had moved to the kitchen and were sitting silently at the table.

"I'll drive you over."

"Thank you."

"I love you."

"I love you too Alice. So much it hurts."


	19. Still Turning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

"Wow Jazz, these are amazing. You did a great job." Alice smiled a tired grin as she flipped through our photos I had printed the day before.

"That's only because I had an incredible teacher." I smiled back, running my clumsy fingers through her cropped hair.

"Awww." she murmured, leaning back into my chest.

She reached her lips up to place a soft kiss on my chin.

The soft bleep of her grandmother's heart monitor along with the standard shuffling sounds of a nursing home filled the background noise as we sat in silence.

"I love the one of Bella." she smiled, holding up her cousin's picture.

"Me too." I agreed. "But the photo of you blows that one outta the water." I grinned.

"Well you may be a little bias, cowboy." she chuckled. Her laugh was weary.

Seeing her grandmother slowly withering away over the last two days alone had crushed her strong spirit into a powdery dust.

"I don't think so. Anyone who doesn't see your beauty is blind." I murmured.

"Holly." Alice's grandmother said quietly, half asleep in her railed hospital bed.

"I'm here." Alice cooed, leaning down and brushing the old woman's damp hair back from her forehead.

"Holly, remember what you told me?" she asked dreamily, her voice raspy.

"Yes. But remind me?" Alice replied carefully, her voice still tender.

"You told me you'd name your daughter Alice, in memory of your grandmother. Such a beautiful name. I can just tell she's going to be beautiful." the old woman breathed, a tinge of a smile on her thin lips.

"Of course. Of course I'll name her Alice." Alice smiled, a tear trailing its way down her pale cheek.

"Good." she drifted back to sleep.

"Alice… you need to eat something." I ordered. She looked so frail…I couldn't let this make her sick too. She shook her head.

"I'm not hungry." she insisted.

"Please? For me? Just eat a little something, I'll go and get it for you." I pleaded.

"Fine." she gave in, turning back to her grandmother. "Thanks Jazz." she murmured as I slipped out the door. I waked down to the small cafeteria and grabbed her some water and a bagel, quickly rushing back to my Alice. She sipped the water slowly and nibbled on the bagel, her eyes empty. My heart sank.

"Alice, graduation is tomorrow. You need to get out for a little while." I whispered. She turned to face me, eyes wide.

"No Jasper, I can't leave her. Not even for a few hours."

"Alice, Charlie will come sit with her. She'll be fine for a couple hours. This happens once in a lifetime." I murmured, trying anything to lift her spirits even an inch. She nodded.

"I suppose."

I sighed in relief.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" I asked, moving beside her. She nodded.

"Yes please."

"Okay."

She stood up and ghosted over to the small extra cot against the wall, her steps lifeless. I laid down next to her and pulled the blankets up around us as she shivered into my chest.

I drifted in and out of sleep yet each time my eyes opened a crack, Alice's were still open wide as she stared unmoving at the ceiling. Worry flowed through my veins like a sizzling liquor. How could I fix this? I couldn't. It was up to Alice to be strong. I wrapped my arms tighter around her as she sighed. I drifted back to sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Bella, hold still." Alice chided as she nimbly zipped up the back of the other girl's graduation dress. It was a soft blue, simple but elegant. Alice was already wearing hers, a white and green gown she had borrowed from her cousin, not having the time to go shopping herself.

"There. Perfect." Alice stated, smoothing out the fabric.

"Thanks Al." Bella smiled, scampering back to Edward's arms.

He was dressed in a white button shirt and dress pants, "casual but suave" as Bella and Alice had put it. Then they had me dress the same.

I'll admit, I was jealous. I was insanely jealous of the way Edward just seemed to adapt to the style, looking flawless as he leaned stylishly against the wall. Meanwhile I looked about as out of place as a pancake in a waffle convention. I felt trapped in the clothing as I shifted from one foot to the other.

"Ok, I think we're ready." Alice murmured. She grabbed my hand and we all piled into Edward's Volvo, the only vehicle we had that was somewhat clean. Apparently Bella and I shared the same habit of throwing crap in our trucks and leaving it there.

"You look beautiful. As always." I informed Alice quietly as we sped down the road.

"You look pretty handsome yourself Jasper" she smiled. "I…can't believe this is it. The end of high school. I haven't even had time to think about it let alone soak it in." she breathed, looking shell-shocked.

"It will be ok Alice. We'll figure it all out later, just relax." I tried to reassure her. She nodded, running her small hands through my unruly hair as she attempted to smooth it back for the hundredth time that night. It just flopped back into my eyes in a blonde heap.

"Oh well." she chuckled. "My hair is as stubborn as you are sometimes." I chuckled along with her.

"I called Charlie before I left and I'm going to call him again in a little while to check in. Oh, I hope she's alright." the worry she had been working so hard to conceal for the past hour bounced back into her azure eyes.

"Ok Alice, if it'll make you feel better." I kissed the top of her head.

We were greeted by our classmates as we walked into the crowded school and then all too soon it was time to put on our graduation gowns and walk across the stage to get out diplomas.

Alice went first since Brandon was the first in the alphabetical order lineup. She danced across the stage and smiled a sweet smile at the principle before disappearing off the other end as quickly as she had come. Edward was next and he accepted his in his normal dignified manner. Then it was Bella's turn as she carefully walked across the stage, measuring her steps as to not fall and embarrass herself.

Then it was my turn. I got my diploma as quickly as possible and escaped into the crowd, looking for Alice.

I found her huddled in the back of the room, tears steaming down her face as she snapped Edward's cell phone shut. I froze.

"Jasper." she whimpered, sliding down the wall and onto the floor, her gown pooling around her.

"What Alice? What happened?" I whispered, even though I already knew.

"She's dying. She only has a few hours at the most." her voice cracked into sobs.

"Let's go." I muttered, lifting her into my arms and striding toward the door, catching Bella and Edward's attention on the way out. Edward sped down the nearly empty roads. Everyone was still at graduation.

We reached the nursing home and crowded into the small room.

After that I could only remember fragments. My heartbeat pounded in my head. A nurse called Charlie outside to speak with him. Her grandmother looked even frailer then usual, her breathing barely perceptible under the thin sheet. The smell of illness tinged the air. Alice dove onto the bed, curling up against her as nurses rushed in and out. Bella and Charlie whispered some words to them, then left them alone. I quietly followed them out, giving my Alice her space.

There was silence for another hour from the room, then a quiet sobbing.

A life had ended, the tenuous string holding its existence to this earth snipped.

And yet for us, the earth continued to turn.

**Wow, that was incredibly sad to write. It definitely brought back some memories. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Thank you for reading.**


	20. Dark

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

**Jasper P.O.V.**

**3 Weeks Later**

The line between night and day had ceased to exist in our motel room.

It was always dusk.

Not even tiny slivers of foggy sunlight could fight their way through the thick quilts Alice had strewn over the windowpanes.

We were like vampires.

Alice even looked like a vampire, her eyes ringed with black shadows and her already pale skin now paler then the bleached driftwood that lined Fork's beach.

She swore to me if she saw the dazzling glow of a sunbeam she would fall apart. That at least in our secluded little room she could make believe everything wasn't as bad as it seemed. I didn't know what she meant. It seemed to me as if she had already fallen apart that night in the hospital room.

I had booked the motel room at Alice's request. She'd refused to stay at Charlie's place and "ruin Bella and Edward's wedding planning." and her house held too many murky memories at the moment. So this seemed like the best choice. I rolled over on the lumpy bed.

"Alice." I murmured, shaking her thin shoulder gently. Too thin. She'd always been tiny and elfin, but this wasn't natural, even for her. Her bones showed through her skin, making her look skeletal.

I growled, striding over and picking up the trash can, digging under a thin layer of papers. I dropped it to the ground, fuming. She'd been throwing her food away.

"Dammitt." I snarled to myself. I'm an asshole, how could I not have noticed sooner? I needed to take care of my Alice, to protect her, even though she wanted nothing of the sort. I hadn't seen her in full light since she had hastily thrown the quilts over the window, and I was afraid touching her might hurt more then it helped. She'd been wearing her loosest clothes. I just hadn't noticed. I walked back over to her curled up form.

"Alice." I whispered, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"What Jazz?" she mumbled, sniffling back the tears that had been running, unnoticed by me. Again.

Alright Jasper, I guess it's time for you to get your head out of your ass and try some tough love techniques. I was hurting her by letting her wallow.

"Honey, sit up." I ordered gently, taking her hand in mine and pulling her into a sitting position. I tried to put love and optimism in my touch as I took her face in my hands. The first direct skin contact I'd had with her since graduation.

"We need to get out of here. It's been nearly three weeks." I murmured, trailing my calloused thumbs over her tear stained cheeks. She shook her head.

"Please Jasper, no." she whispered. " I don't want to leave yet."

"Alice, you have to. You have things to do. _We _have things to do. Didn't I once hear you swear you'd be the one and only person to plan Bella's wedding? Well you only have a few weeks. They postponed it for you, but they can't wait much longer. And we need to help Charlie sell your house." I reasoned, trying to keep my words strong when all I wanted to do was crumble under her forlorn stare and crawl under the covers with her and all her pain.

"Alice, your grandmother wouldn't want this for you. I barely knew her, yet it's obvious she wouldn't have wanted this. You need to live your dreams Alice. Whether they include me or not, that's up to you to decide. But I'm getting you out of this motel room." I finished, my words steady. She just started at me.

"Jasper, what do you mean if my plans include you or not? No matter what happens, that's the one thing that will never change. I want you. Forever." she smiled. Well, it was more of a lip twitch then a smile, but I'd take it!

"Good." I grinned. "I have some lunch in the refrigerator and don't you dare think you can fool me this time. I'm watching you eat it." I warned. Alice nodded tiredly.

"Fine."

I grabbed some leftover pizza from the fridge, handing Alice a slice of her favorite, pepperoni and sausage. She took dainty little bites as she stared off into space, in her own little world.

"Thank you Jasper." she said out of nowhere.

"You're welcome Alice. It's what I'm here for." I smiled a slight smile, brushing locks of hair from her face. She smiled back. I hadn't realized how much I needed her smile. It was like a drug to me.

"I guess I'll take a shower." she murmured, hopping up and scampering into the bathroom. I grinned, cleaning up the small room as I waited for her.

I ran down and told the clerk we'd be checking out, and when I got back to the room I found a sight that sent my heart hammering. Alice was grabbing clothes out of her suitcase, nothing but a tiny towel veiling her body from me. I swallowed thickly, closing my eyes. This wasn't the time. Instead I focused on how emaciated she was, and made a promise to myself to cook her a decent meal soon. Then again with my cooking, it might not be very decent. Alice finally noticed me hunched over by the door and yelped, rushing into the bathroom.

"Ooops. Sorry Jazz." she called out, sounding embarrassed."What are you apologizing for?" I chuckled. She giggled nervously, stepping back out. She closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"Maybe later." she murmured to herself. She walked back into the bathroom, winking at me. I laughed. What a sneaky girl. She got dressed and I dragged the suitcases out to the car.

Her eyes became misty and distraught once again as she breathed the fresh air, a new bout of loss hitting her full blown. She shivered, even in the warm July weather. We drove slowly to Charlie's house with the music turned to full blast in an attempt to distract my Alice. She loved the heavy rock and roll, while I preferred the soft country tunes. We took turns switching stations.

As we pulled into the driveway I spotted an unfamiliar car parked next to Bella's truck. I hopped out and met Alice at the other side, taking her hand.

As we started toward the house, the screen door banged open.

Bella came walking out, trailed by someone I could never forget the appearance of.

Rosalie.

**So...a bit of a short chapter, but it seemed like the best place to stop. Thank you soooo much for the reviews, you folks are lovely. :) Thanks for reading! :)**


	21. Trust

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**Jasper P.O.V.**

"Rose?" I asked quietly, closely inspecting to make sure it really was my sister.

It was. I grinned.

"You're here!" I yelled, running forward and wrapping her in a tight hug, the smell of motor oil burning my nose. I loved it.

"Yup, I am." she laughed with a roll of her eyes. "You don't need to make a scene." she chuckled.

"Rosie, this is Alice." I murmured, pulling her tiny form close to me. She held out a tiny hand, a grin on her tired face.

"Great to finally meet ya Rosalie."

"Awww, you're just adorable." Rose chuckled, shaking her hand.

"Umm, Bells, want to start with the wedding planning?" Alice smiled. I could see her working hard to conceal and situate her gloominess in the back of her mind.

"Yes Alice! I was so worried. Are you ok? Where have you been? You look so thin, let me make you some soup…." Bella chattered anxiously as Alice towed her inside with an amused smirk, cleverly giving Rose and I some alone time. Her chatter cut off into silence as the door banged shut.

I stared at my sister, unsure of what to say. It'd been so long.

"You look good Jasper." Rose murmured, nodding in approval. Her voice had a subtle southern twang to it.

"Being in love has done you good. You look…mature. Strong." she smiled, her eyes misty. I bit my lip. I had never in my life seen Rosalie close to crying. She was always the strong one. Tenacious, but strong.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, hugging her close to me, her blonde ponytail tickling my chin.

"You're just so different. But yet still the same old Jasper." she whispered. "I should have been here to help you. But…I know if I could do it over, I wouldn't change what I did. I'm selfish…too selfish to have stayed here. But I do love you. So much." she stated, unashamed.

"I know you do Rose. That's the past. We can start over, if you'd like. Start new."

"I'd like that." she nodded.

"How's Emmett? What have you guys been up to the last few years?" I asked.

"He's great. He's amazing actually. Like always. I'll admit I had my doubts when we first got to Texas, but they're gone now. He's the man for me." she smiled. "I've been working at a local garage and he's working for an excavating company. We want to start a family soon. You know I've always wanted that." she looked elated, her eyes brightening instantly.

Yes, I did know. She'd always wanted children, for as far back as I could remember.

"That's great Rose." I smiled, meaning it. I glanced down at my boot laces for a moment before I spoke again. "So…I'm guessing you're here to keep your promise of bringing me back with you?" I asked, getting on to the key topic. My eyes hardened slightly, remembering that night the promise had been sealed.

"Yes. We can leave today, if you'd like." she grinned, thrilled to be delivering the great news.

"I…can't leave yet Rose." I mumbled. Her grin dropped.

"But…I thought you were dying to leave. We can take your girl with us of course. Alice seems nice enough." she added.

"I still can't.

"I don't understand."

"Alice isn't ready. If I pull her away from her life here before she's ready… she'll have regrets. It has to be her choice. She has loose ends to tie up. A wedding to plan. And I'll wait as long as she needs." I said softly.

"Wow Jazz, you really have changed." Rosalie murmured. "That's very… noble. Are you sure about this?" she asked, her lips pursed in thought.

"Yes Rose. Please don't make it any harder, it's taking all my restraint to do this. And you know I've never been great at resisting temptation. We'll meet you down there soon." I promised.

"Alright Jasper. I'll be there. I love you." she gave me a long hug.

"Tell Alice I said….see ya soon." she started to turn away.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot." she mumbled to herself. She punched me in the shoulder. Pretty damn hard. Hmm, why didn't I see that coming?

"Ow! Jeez, what was that for?" I grumbled, already knowing the answer.

"For making me drive all the way up here thinking you were gonna be ecstatic that I was bringing your sorry ass back to Texas." she winked, hopping in her truck.

I laughed, walking inside as she pulled down the driveway. I wasn't upset. There was no need to be. I knew I'd see her soon enough.

"Is that you Jazz?" Alice's soprano voice rang from the living room, warming me.

"Yeah!" I called back, taking off my boots and going to find her.

They were sitting on the couch, surrounded by bridal magazines. Bella looked flustered as she sifted through the piles, but Alice was easily sorting them with a calculating look on her tiny features.

"Hmmm…I think we can hold off selling the house long enough that you can still have the wedding in my backyard. If we work quickly." she murmured absently to her cousin and her eyes scanned the magazine she was currently holding.

"That would be great!" Bella replied, throwing down her magazine and hastily standing up.

"Ok, I'm gonna go cook dinner for Charlie….have you got this?" she asked hopefully.

"Yup, I got it." Alice giggled as Bella practically ran from the room.

"She's not too keen on dresses and decorations." she informed me with a grin as I sat down next to her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"I noticed." I chuckled, brushing back her hair.

"Are you ok?" I murmured. She nodded.

"Yeah…I'm fine. This is keeping me distracted, actually. It feels so good to be distracted." she sighed, leaning into my side.

"Good." I murmured, kissing her cheek.

"Where's Rose?" she asked nervously.

"Back to Texas for now. Don't worry about it, we can talk later. Just relax."

"Alright Jazz." she replied, easily trusting me.

I felt a bubble of pride rise up in my chest. Alice trusted me. I was someone worthy of her now. I felt a smile turn my lips up as she nestled into my side, content in her distractions for now.

Helping her heal one day at a time was the best I could do for now.

And for now it seemed enough.

**Hello! Thank you guys soooo much for the reviews, they were lovely. I hope ya enjoyed the chapter, Happy Halloween! :D**


	22. Wedding Planning

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

**Jasper P.O.V.**

"Crap, crap, crap!" I grumbled, punching my fingers at the keyboard.

"Crap on toast!" I shouted, bringing my fists down on my knees.

"Crap on toast?" Alice asked amusedly, her eyebrows raised.

"I don't know." I shrugged, chuckling and shutting down the zombie game I was currently playing on Edward's laptop computer.

"Ok, I'm done trying to beat level three. It's never gonna happen. I'll let you ladies get back to planning." I smiled and handed the computer over to Bella.

She sighed dramatically as she brought up a decoration website, giving Alice puppy eyes.

"Can't we take a break from wedding planning for a few hours?" she asked hopefully, clasping her hands together like a pleading child.

"Bella, we only have three more days until the wedding!" she gasped, eyes wide like this was a heinous suggestion.

"I know! That's the point! What else could we _possibly _have left to plan?" she muttered, resting her head on her hand and staring at her cousin accusingly.

"We've been through this Bells." Alice said patiently. "We need to finish ordering the decorations on express shipping, make sure Esme has enough people to help cook all the food and bake the cake, and a million other things!" she explained to a bored Bella.

"You're not even listening to me! You wanted me to plan your dang wedding, and I'm going to do it right. End of story." she stated firmly. "But I miss Edward." Bella grumbled. Alice slapped her forehead with her palm theatrically. I laughed.

"Jasper!" Alice grinned like she'd just remembered I was there. She crawled across the couch into my lap, giving me a overly innocent smile that meant she was about to ask me for something.

"Jazzy, can you drop her off at Edward's? She's no help at all." she glared playfully at her cousin who stuck out her tongue at her. "and I have to finish this!" she grinned hugely up at me, tracing lazy patterns on the front of my t-shirt with a fingertip. How could I say no to that?

"Of course Alice." I smiled back.

"Woohoo!" Bella jumped off the couch and ran out to my truck. Hers was currently in the garage for a tune-up. Not that it needed it, but Alice had clever ways of keeping her focused on the wedding.

I chuckled and kissed my Alice on her forehead, gently lifting her and setting her on the couch beside me.

"I'll be back in twenty minutes." I smiled, heading out to catch Bella. She was already in the passenger seat smiling like a goof. I climbed in and started up the truck, the roar of the engine familiar in my ears.

We drove to Edward's giant mansion in the forest talking lightly about Alice's tendency to go slightly nuts when she had a challenge put in front of her. She was a perfectionist in every way and it made me love her even more. We pulled up in front of the massive house.

"Thank ya Jasper!" Bella grinned as she hopped out of the truck and ran for the front door. I stayed for a moment to make sure someone was home to answer it. When I saw Edward appear in the entranceway and wave at me I waved back and turned to head back to Charlie's place.

Alice and I had been staying with him for the past weeks and I couldn't help but feel relief that we would be heading out of Forks soon. It wasn't that I didn't like Charlie, he was very accommodating. It was just the fact that he hadn't quite gotten over his dislike of me. He thought Alice deserved better. So did I, but I wasn't about to hurt her yet again by being a dumb ass.

Plus, I didn't think I _could_ leave her. It wasn't a possibility anymore. Without Alice I was only half a person. And half a person couldn't survive for very long.

I pulled up the driveway and parked the truck, sticking the key in my jeans pocket and going inside. Alice was hanging up the phone as I came in. She danced over and leaped into my arms. I caught her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight hug.

"Uhg, can't breath Jasper." she laughed. I loosened my grip and smiled, placing a light kiss on her lips. I walked over and sat on the couch with her still in my arms.

"Jasper, I miss her." she whispered, looking up at me through her lashes.

"I know darlin." I murmured, cradling her to my chest. I stroked her black hair, trying to sooth her.

I started to hum the tune I remembered Rose singing to me when we were little. Alice sniffed back the tears threatening to form and began to hum along with me.

We had been doing this every day since we'd gotten out of that damn motel room. The first night at Charlie's house I'd felt hopeless trying to comfort her. But then I tried the humming and it worked a little. And then a little more then next night. Our voices harmonized together without thought or action. High and low pitches mixing and twirling and spiraling around each other. It calmed her.

I had never sung for anyone in my whole life except for her. And I would never sing for anyone ever again except for her. Alice wiped away a few stray tears and smiled as the song finished.

"Thank you Jasper." she murmured, curling farther into my chest.

"Anything for you Alice." I smiled. "And your grandmother can hear you singing. I know she can. And she knows you're remembering her and you love her and miss her. But you're also letting her know you'll be ok." I tucked the stray locks of hair behind her ears. Alice nodded, a smile blooming across her tear stained face.

"Now who's being the wise, mysterious one?" she winked at me. I laughed.

"I'm just telling it how I see it." I winked back.

"Well, we should get back to planning." she sighed, hopping out of my lap and dancing over to the phone.

I watched as she dialed the number, chatting to Esme about cake and icing and how adorable Edward and Bella would be walking down the isle.

As Alice talked she fidgeted and spun and pretty soon she was wrapped up in the phone wire. She hung up awhile later, looking at me with a pout on her face.

"Jazz, can you help untangle me?" She giggled. I nodded and went to help her as she laughed and pulled at the wire.

These small moments were moments worth living for.


End file.
